Perfect isn't Real/(Newtmas)

~4~

"Wake up!" A voice yelled in my ear. Chuck? What time is if anyway?, I thought as I sat up halfway asleep still. "Whyyyyy? It's too early!" I whined and complained.

"It's almost 10, you shuckface! Now get up lazy bum, else you're going to miss breakfast!" For being the youngest Glader, Chuck can be pretty fierce when he wants to be. "Also, you have to meet up with Alby and Newt after breakfast to, hopefully, find you a job." Chuck finishes while walking away from me and my hammock.
*****

All the jobs sounded boring, except one. A Runner. It was the perfect thing to feed my never ending curiosity about the Maze. I wanted to know what was behind those walls, to find a way out of the Glade.

As I mentioned my idea about being a Runner, though, Alby and Newt shared a look. It seemed like they thought it was funny. My suspicions were right. They thought it was hilarious. Though I thought Newts laugh was adorable, their loud laughing drew some weird looks from the other Gladers. Wait, did I just say that Newts laugh was adorable?!?

When they finally stopped, Newt whispered something to Alby. He nodded then walked off to one of the huts. "Look Tommy, you can't just expect to be a Runner your second day here. If you still feel about this after a month come talk to me, okay?" Newt said it with an understanding kindness, but the words made my heart feel heavy.

"You don't understand." I mumbled, but a bit too loudly because Newt stopped in his tracks. He turned with a confused look on his face. "What do you mean I don't understand? Of course I understand. I used to be a Runner! Before I screwed up my shucking leg."

"It's not just wanting to be a Runner, it feels like I need to be! There's this part of me that's afraid of the Maze, but there's this bigger, much bigger, part of me that needs to be out in that Maze! I-I think I might have an idea about finding a way out of here. I just have this feeling that I need to be out there. I don't understand it Newt. I just... don't." I was almost in tears when Newt pulled me into a hut that was empty and hugged me, tightly like he's been waiting for a while to hug me. My stomach was filled with butterflies.

He pulled away after a few seconds, but it felt entirely too short. Hot tears ran down my face unwelcomely. I tried to wipe them away before Newt had noticed, but unfortunately he seen and wiped them away with his thumb. His touch left sparks on the places he wiped. He was smiling, so naturally I smiled back, but this felt different. More intimate. Stop you're not in love with anyone, especially Newt! My brain urged on.

Moments passed of us looking and smiling at each other, but then I found my voice again. "What was that for?" I know the question was stupid, but I wondered why he had did it. "I did it because you seem like you need it, Tommy. I guess you did because you seem a heck of a lot better."
*****

The rest of the day consisted of Newt and I hanging out and talking about random things about the Glade. At some point Chuck tried to tag along, but then got bored of our conversation. Then Minho, who I've learned was the leader of the Runners, came up to tell Newt about something. Probably the Maze.

I looked over at Newt walking with me to grab some dinner. He seemed at peace, breathing in the smell of Frypans stew. Frypan was the Glades amazing chef. I observed the way he walked, strong and tall, but then I noticed his limp. I thought back to earlier when he said he'd screwed up his leg running. "How did you mess up your leg?" The words slipped from my mouth and caught us both off guard.

"I-I mean how did running screw up your leg," The words tumbled out of my mouth without a filter. I could feel my face flush with embarrassment. "It wasn't from running." He mumbled almost too quietly. Unfortunately, my curiosity got the best of me. "Then what happened?" Newt hesitated before answering. "I guess you deserve to know because you told me something. It happened when I was thirteen. I was a Runner for a bit, but I couldn't handle people getting hurt and dying, so.. I... jumped off the wall..." I could hear the pain this subject brought him so I changed it.

"Who do you like to talk to more, me or Alby?" I know it was weird and random, but Newts expression changed. "Hmmm... Alby." My heart sank, but what was I expecting? Him to confess his undying love for me? As if. But then I seen his face. It was filled with sarcasm and humor. "Well, what a shame. I'm an amazing person to be around." I said matching his humor and sarcasm level.

"Debatable. Very debatable, Tommy." I managed a false hurt look, and to my surprise he bust out laughing. "Actually, you are more fun to talk to rather than Alby." Newt hefted out between laughs. "Oh I know. Just wanted you to admit it." I said as sarcastically as possible.
*****

After dinner, I lied in my hammock. It wasn't like the night before. I couldn't sleep anytime I tried, so I found a sleeping bag to pulled out away from the hut and near the fire pit.

I stared intently at the stars, finding constellations. Apparently too intently because a familiar voice spoke from above me. "Beautiful, aren't they?" Newt had a sleeping bag in his arms, so I figured he couldn't sleep either. "They are. They truly are beautiful." Newt looked down at me then the open spot next to me. "Umm, may I?" My brain worked a little slow before what Newt had asked registered to me. "Oh yeah, yeah sure. Go ahead."

I watched as he set up his sleeping bag, although it sounded boring, he made it look graceful. He sat right beside me, close enough for me to feel his body heat radiating off of him. "It's calmer out here, isn't it? A lot more silence to think straight." Newt's British accent sounded in the dead of night. "I guess. I've never really thought about it."

I yawned as tiredness washed over me. Newt yawned following my pursuit. "Anyways, night Tommy." I didn't know how much time has passed, but the moon was higher in the sky than it was. "Good night, Newt."

The night fell silent with the exception of Newts quiet snores. I fell asleep within seconds, but this time restless rather than restful like the night before.
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Sorry it's been a while! I made up with a longer chapter. Hopefully you enjoyed this one! I kinda lost focus near the end of it because of Nanny McPhee playing in the background. And of course it has Thomas Brodie-Sangster in it.♥️
~ Carson