ᵒⁿᵉ 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 ⁿᵉʷᵗᵐᵃˢ ᵃᵘ (ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉᵈ)

found

Thomas walks down the street. The sun is just setting, sending the city into a dusky glow. A slight spatter of stars color the sky, shedding a soft light on the darkening streets. He turns a corner down an alley, his shortcut, when he sees a boy with dusty golden hair.

The boy looks up at him with big eyes. His face is dirty, tears cutting lines in the grey color. Dried blood stains his hairline and lip. He's shaking and sitting against the wall. Thomas stops in his tracks and kneels beside him. 

The boy looks at Thomas. "I-who-who are you?" He asks shakily. "I didn't mean to, I swear. It wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't your fault?" Thomas asks gently. "I'm not here to-I just came here. I'm not here to do anything. What's your name?"

"Newt." He says, shifting anxiously. 

"I'm Thomas." Thomas says. "What wasn't your fault?"

"The-the explosion." He says, eyes widening. "I didn't mean to. It just happened."

"What explosion?" Thomas asks.

"The-the bank." He says. "It exploded. I swear I didn't do it on purpose! All I did was touch the vault."

"Wait, what were you doing at the vault?" Thomas asks.

"I can't tell you that." Newt says quietly. 

The boys hear sirens in the distance.

"Okay, we should probably get you out of here." Thomas says. "You can just come to my house for now."

"That's-that's harboring a fugitive." Newt says.

"You're a fugitive?" Thomas says. 

"Oh, well, no." Newt says. "Not yet. Not here, anyway."

"Okay, we'll deal with that later." Thomas grabs his hand and pulls him up. "Come on. They may not know it's you yet."

"But it wasn't!" Newt says as they turn to run down the street. "At least, not on purpose."

"Well, they'll think it's you." Thomas says. "So it's probably best if we get the hell out of here."

"Do you believe me?" Newt asks, looking at him as they run.  

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Thomas says. 

Soon, they reach his house. Thomas slips the key into the lock and they walk inside. Thomas relocks the door and flicks on the light. Newt looks around. 

"Thanks." He says. 

"Sure." Thomas says. "Just...sit down." Newt sits down on the floor, back against the wall, wincing. "That's not what I meant, but okay."

"Sorry." Newt says. "My leg just really hurts."

"What happened?" Thomas asks, sitting next to him. 

"Nothing," Newt says, pain flashing across his face. "Nothing, I'm fine." 

Thomas sighs, nodding. "Alright. Do you want water or food or something?"

"It's alright." Newt says. "You're already letting me stay in your house."

Thomas doesn't say anything. He gets a glass of water and hands it to him. "Just drink it."

He does, drinking the whole thing without taking a breath. "Thank you." He says. "Why are you being so nice to me? I'm just a random boy you found in an alley."

"I don't really know." Thomas says. "But I couldn't just leave you there."

Newt smiles, setting the glass down beside him. "Well, thanks."

"I'll get some clothes for you to change into." Thomas says and walks up the stairs. 

When he gets back, Newt has fallen asleep. Thomas sighs, looking at him. He looks so peaceful. Thomas gets a blanket and lays it over him. 

The next morning, Newt wakes up, completely having forgotten where he is.

"Hey," Thomas says. He's sitting on the counter, holding a glass of orange juice. "You're up."

"Oh," Newt says, standing up. "I didn't mean to fall asleep there."

"It's fine." Thomas says. 

"Could I...take a shower?" Newt asks.

"Yeah, of course." Thomas says. "It's just up the stairs to the right."

Newt nods. "Thanks, Thomas." He says. "You really didn't have to do this."

"I did." Thomas says. "I really did."

Later, Newt walks down the stairs, now wearing Thomas's clothes. Thomas looks up at him. He realizes for the first time how hot he is. Thomas turns red at the thought. Newt runs a hand through his hair, grinning slightly. 

"I can go." Newt says. "I don't want to drag you into this."

"No, I-" Thomas says. "I don't mind. Do you need anything?"

"No." Newt says, smiling slightly. 

"Can I ask," Thomas says. "Why were you at the vault in the bank?"

"Look," Newt says. "I owe you. I owe you a lot. But you'd just kick me out if you knew and you seem to like me okay right now. I don't want that to change. But I swear to god I didn't mean to explode the bank."

"How?" Thomas asks. "How on earth did you explode the bank?"

"The same reason they wanted me." Newt says.

"Who's they?" Thomas asks.

"Everybody, really." Newt says. "That's why I've stopped telling people."

"Stop telling people what?" Thomas asks. 

"What I can do." Newt says. "Listen, Tommy, I love you and your million questions, but stop before you find out something you don't want to know."

"What do you mean?" Thomas asks. "What wouldn't I want to know?"

Newt just smiles slightly, patting his arm. "You don't want to know."

"Can I just ask one thing?" Thomas asks. Newt nods. "What happened to your leg?"

"I already told you," Newt says. "Nothing."

"Then why did it hurt?" Thomas asks.

"Tommy, this one thing," Newt says. "I'm not ever going to tell you." 

"But why?" Thomas asks.

"It's none of your bloody business." Newt says sharply. "Drop it."

Thomas looks taken aback but doesn't say anything else. 

Newt sighs. "Look, I'm sorry," He says. "But you just aren't going to know this one thing. I'll tell you almost everything else, but not this."

Thomas nods. "Alright."

"Good," Newt says. "Now, I should probably go."

"Go where?" Thomas asks. "People are looking for you."

"Exactly." Newt says. "I should get as far away as I can."

Thomas doesn't know why, but a sudden sadness comes over him. He doesn't want to lose the boy, even though they just met. 

"I'm coming." Thomas says the words before his brain can even process them. "I can keep you safe."

Newt looks at Thomas. "Tommy...I couldn't ask you to give up your whole life for me."

"But you're not." Thomas says. "I want to. Please."

"Alright," Newt says. "But only if you really want to."

"I do. I really do." Thomas says.

"Alright then." Newt says. "You can come."

A/N: Hey! Welcome to my new book! I hope you guys like it! Thank you all so much for reading! Love you guys! <3.