Smoke and Mirrors | Newt x Male OC

Chapter 10

Newt was left to himself, alone and unbothered. A rare occasion, considering the numerous inhabitants that kept barging in and disrupting his quiet reverie by asking mundane, and repetitive questions.

" 'm sorry alrigh'? Won't happen ever again, was a spur of the moment thing." was his go to quip in retaliation, eager and awaiting them to walk out the sun-faded wooden door.

It was him who had to pat blubbering gladers' back and sent them off with comforting affirmations. Being babied did not amuse him the slightest.

Wire was the sweetest, all bright eyed and jovial, but his hovering was a bother, spontaneous and protective. It's not like he'd fall of his bed and twist his undies.

He wasn't Billy's age. Neither was he spineless and afraid.

He was strong.

Newt was strong.

"Sorry, but what happened to Newt? I saw him being hauled to the Medjacks' but couldn't see clearly." Billy's timid query had Wire stumbling and stuttering.

His mind, despite much trial and error of trying to pry the blonde out of his head, spiralled back to square one.

'Oh my god-'

"Wire?"

"He um, he uh, tripped on some ivy back in the maze, right? Twisted his leg at a horrible angle. The griever on his trail didn't give him much time to climb to safety."

He winced at the horrible excuse of a response, expecting the various rebuttals Billy could possibly assault him with.

Glancing at the mess gathered between his fingers' hold, Wire twisted the end of the thin flexible body of the cable and completed his contraption.

Was it a car? Were cars supposed to look like that?

He couldn't remember.

With a nudge, the little car moved on its makeshift wheels, stopping near Billy and bumping his knuckles from across the small desk he'd made. The younger boy watched the car move with an unexpressed fascination locked in his eyes, unable to not marvel at the older's creation.

"That's so cool! How'd you do that? Teach me!" his overzealous nature has Wire cracking a soft smile, probably the first of its kind ever since...

No, nope. Not thinking of that dick-wad. Not again.

Letting out a loud groan- startling little Billy in the process- Wire managed weak noises and mumbles of disapproval and insatiable dissatisfaction, feeling sick with apprehension.

The younger boy was clueless. Sparing him the confusion, Wire was quick to reaffirm and defend the ungodly sounds he emitted.

"Just, he's so stupid and dumb for being, being that reckless." he unconsciously lamented at Newt's attempt, something Billy didn't quite catch up on.

"Ah, I see. Well, he'll get better, he's one tough guy, scary as well."

"Sure he is. All big and bad and nasty ain't he?"

"Very so" the kid let out an endearing giggle. Wire eventually allowed his tense and rigid frame to relax and rest. Curling his lips upon glancing at his dirty fingers, he stood up and let himself and Billy out of the shack.

Billy ran at the front, finding childish glee in overtaking him. He was a child, really.

So very young at that.

Then again, so were they. Young boys. Forced to grow up all on their own, without so much as to have any adult around for help.

The more Wire realised, the more despondent he became. His brisk walk reduced to shuffles, Billy being the size of a figurine amidst the weeds and the dirt.

His trail of thought wandered off to George. The yells, the look of absolute terror and mania, his blood, Wire's blood, all clashing against one another.

Then there was Newt, who seemed like a beacon to all, to him. His heart ached, begged, pleaded, for him, him and him only. His mind refused, 'act sober, quit begging for someone who pushed you away,' it would apprehend. His heart on the opposite side of the war, 'but I wish to be with him, by his side! He's my friend!' it would rebut.

He didn't know which to believe, much less submit to.

Plonking down on the ground, he watched the dust gather up into the air, and fade. After that came frustration. Why did he think of Newt alot? Why him?

'I don't need you Wire! When will you get that into your thick skull?'

He ignored Billy's shouts in the distance.

His eyes lined with tears, but he refused to let them fall.

Fiddling with his hands, Newt realised just how quiet it had been. Too quiet, for his comfort. Too peaceful.

Averting his gaze to the ceiling, he viewed imaginary dots and connected them with his eyes. The steady beating of his heart echoed throughout, a painful reminder of his failed attempt. He was still alive.

He drifted to the promise he'd made. Wire's distraught face, jaw held tight, moments away from sobbing, but then steeling himself for the blonde. He never asked why he did it, something he cherished.

As adorably considerate and lovely that he was, he was much too protective. Too overbearing, it made him feel trapped. Newt had his own voice. Granted he didn't use it then, he had a voice box of his own.

Wire didn't need to help him. Newt would get through this, he could do it, without anyone's help. That was Newt's vow, his promise to himself. When he had attempted, he hadn't told anyone, so why should they know now? He had gotten this far by himself, albeit only just, but he would push through. To prove them wrong.

Who were 'them', he didn't know.

Wire didn't need the burden of Newt's demons, the boy had so much to live for, he would go places. Even if it was just to the other side of the Glade.

Newt groaned and shifted in his bed, the overthinking wasn't gonna get him anywhere. He closed his eyes again, hoping for a wink of sleep before the pain killers wore off.

Wire's sullen face was the chief of his lucid dreams that night.