Arthur let out a long groan of frustration as Alby left before shifting, his bandages digging into his side. "You gotta be nice Artie, You'll set a bad example." Newt rubbed his thumb over Arthur's knuckles, dusting over each individual creasing.
"I...
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"Who are you?" Arthur bounced on his heels, a shy demeanour taking over as he picked at the loose skin around his nails. The boy was only young and yet looked so untrusting of the boy that stood opposite.
The darker-haired boy looked at Arthur, familiarity gracing his features. "I'm staying here" Arthur couldn't hear him.
"Oh, are you new? I haven't seen anyone else around." Why was he responding like this was normal? The dark-haired boy fiddled with his fingers and looked around, now nervous for some reason.
"Sorry, I can't tell you."
Arthur smiled, seemingly unfazed by this information. "That's okay! I'm Arthur." He held out his hand and as the boy reached his hand forward, his fingers clasping on tightly.
Every inch of Arthur's brain told him to rip his hand out of his grasp. But the childish hope he didn't know ever existed overruled him"I'm-"
Arthur opened his eyes, his breathing slightly sped up as he felt the slight fabric against his forehead. Skittish, Arthur scrambled back, on edge from whatever had just happened.
"Artie?"
He felt wrong. His nerves were on fire as if someone had gone at them with a lighter and burnt them, spreading the burning sensation throughout his body. He hated this so much. What the fuck was that.
"Artie, what's wrong?" There was a voice but no touch which Arthur praised whoever was watching over them for.
He didn't know why he was so freaked out. It was just a dream. Worse had happened to him. Although he struggled he found it in himself to respond. "Nothing, nothing I'm good." He shook his head, and blinked, trying to clear his eyes from the just-woken-up haze that had built up.
"Alright." The tone that Arthur recognised showed that he knew it was anything but alright but deemed it not worth fighting over.
There was quiet before there wasn't. "Minho has asked us to come over to the pit. Deemed it worthy enough for our presence or something like that." Fondness. It was a fondness he heard now as Newt audibly shook his head.
They now crouched by the bars that trapped Thomas and Teresa, Newt, Chuck, and Minho watched them cautiously whilst Arthur leaned against the side of the cage. Neither Minho nor Newt wanted him out of sight.
"Does he usually have fits like this when he sleeps?" Arthur's eyes were closed but he could still hear the loud groans that Thomas was making in his sleep.
Teresa shook her head before realising that he couldn't see. "No, this is because he stung himself." Arthur didn't even flinch at this information but opened his eyes and looked around the corner of the cage to lock eyes with Teresa.
"He's a bit dumb isn't he." Newt looked at Arthur and shook his head.
Minho on the other hand fought back a smile. "He looks it."
