You Expect Me To Carry On? (A Newtmas Fanfic)

Chapter Nine: Selfish

At Thomas's words, Newt's face darkened.

He shook his head vehemently.

"No." he stood abruptly and started pacing.

"Uh uh. No way. No can do."

Minho walked over, hands on his hips.

"Newt there are no other options you-"

Newt whirled around.

"I said. No."

Brenda looked pitiful, and she too attempted to persuade him with kind words.

"Newt I know this might be hard for you but-"

"MIGHT BE?!"

Newt was yelling, his face flushed, the otherwise pale and streaky veins popping from his neck.

"MIGHT. BE?!"

Brenda looked scared, Minho looked shocked.

They both started to slowly back away from the half-crank-half-boy.

"THOSE BASTARDS DID ALL OF THIS TO ME. AND YOU WANT ME TO JUST ROCK UP ON THEIR DOORSTEP?!" he spat

Minho stopped, a look of annoyance crossing his features.

Then he rolled his shoulders and stepped forward, eyes clouded with bitterness.

"You think this is just all about you- don't you?"

His voice rose

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO GODDAMN SELFISH?!"

Thomas's heart started racing.

What was he thinking? How could he yell at Newt like this?!

He walked over to the two boys.

"Hey... hey. Minho-"

He looked at one, then the other, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.

"-Newt. Can we just slim it and-"

Abruptly, Minho pushed away.

"NO!"

Now it was his turn to yell.

He shoved Thomas in the chest, sending him sprawling into the dirt.

Newt leapt straight to his side, kneeling next to his friend in the dust.

Brenda made a move towards them- but Newt held up a hand- gesturing her away and keeping her out of the scuffle.

"What the hell man?!" Newt and Thomas exclaimed in unison.

Minho's face was bright red.

He clearly wasn't done.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WE RISKED LETTING YOU STAY HERE?! HOW MANY LIVES WE PUT AT STAKE?! FOR YOU! "

He pointed an accusatory finger at the two friends, sat huddled on the ground.

"AND WE NEED YOU TO JUST LET US DO ONE THING. HELL, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SHUCKING COME ALONG IF IT'S SO AWFUL FOR POOR NEWTIE!

Thomas felt his anger solidifying.

How dare he?!

Minho kept going.

"AND YOU WALTZ AROUND HERE WRAPPED IN THOMAS'S GODDAMN ARMS, ACTING LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD IS A SHUCKING ILLUSION! GET A ROOM!"

Newt had clearly had enough. He stood, brushing the dust from his knees and walked forward slowly, hand outstretched.

"Okay, okay bro." he said cautiously "I'm listening. But let's leave Tommy outta this from now on."

Minho looked slightly remorseful, but he got in one last jab, muttering at his feet.

"I... I just feel like the least you could do is be a little less... selfish... I guess."

Newt looked at him, exasperated, then chuckled, shaking his head and crossing his arms.

"I love you, Min, really I do but you're blind as a shucking bat if you think this is me being selfish."

"But- but you just said-"

"I was lying man! Of course I don't care what WCKD do to me. They about topped it with the whole 'being dead' malarkey. I thought you'd see through that."

He paused.

"I only really lied to spare Tommy a little extra complexity but... shuck... you really made things tricky."

Thomas, who was up on his feet now, stood with Brenda, was paying full attention to every word spoken.

"I'm not letting any of you near them again. Like I just witnessed- you've already risked much too much trying to keep me safe. All of you- here- are the reason I want to exist. To live. And putting you in any kind of danger is the worst thing that could possibly happen."

There was silence amongst the group.

Newt looked at each of them in turn.

"You. Can't. Go. Back there."

When his eyes' met Thomas's, he stopped, speaking directly to him.

"And you Tommy. Especially you. We both know how much they want you. What they'd do to you I... I don't even wanna think about it. I refuse to lose you. I refuse."

And with that, he turned and ran down the cliff path, leaving Thomas, Minho and Brenda in disbelieving silence.