EPIPHANY ✁ newt

20 , testing the waters

"Hey, Newt, we'll get him back, alright? I'm telling you - this is not defeat, we're not giving up just because this didn't work." I said softly, looking at the boy who had come to stand next to me as we watched Vince give the new rescues a talk. Newt looked extremely sad, which broke my heart. I had no idea why I cared so much for the boy, but it upset me like nothing else to see him like this.

"Jesus, Seph. You should be with Aris and the others - not moping around with me. You have your friends back and you're standing with me." The blonde replied shortly, avoiding acknowledging my words to him. Newt pushed himself off the wall we were both leaning against and started walking away, but in that split second something came over me and I grabbed hold of his wrist firmly, making the boy turn back to me in confusion.

"No, Newt. Bloody hell - I'm your friend as well! Do you really expect me to just walk away when someone I care about is clearly upset about something to go have a chat with some other mates of mine? You boys really can be thick at times. And, for your information, I care about Minho as well. He made a good impression on me the few days we were together, and you're clearly a tad stupid if you can't make that out. So believe me when I say - we will stop at nothing to get him back, okay?"

I hadn't let go of Newt's hand as I spoke, and my cheeks tinted red at the realisation - but I had no time for pointless thoughts as I stared him in the eyes, making sure the boy understood I meant what I was saying. "Thank you." he simply whispered, moving back to his spot next to me slowly as I let go of him finally.

"Good." I replied in an as soft voice, "and anytime." I saw a tiny smile on Newt's face, and new my mission had been accomplished.

"Alright, listen up." Vince was saying, jumping up onto a higher bit of ground to face the dazed faces, most of them trying to shield their faces from the sun, obviously not having been exposed to it at the WICKED facility for months. "I know you have all been though hell, and I wish I could say that all of our troubles are over. But we're not through this yet. WICKED is still out there, they're not giving up. Because you've got something they want. They took you, because you're immune to a plague that is currently wiping out the human race, and they think you are worth sacrificing in order to find a cure."

He took a few steps along the platform kind of thing, pacing as he stared at all the people in front of him. "Well... I don't. So in two days, when we get this tub of rust sea-worthy-" he pointed to a broken down ship behind him, "we're getting the hell out of here. We are going to go to a place that WICKED will never find you. A place you can all start over. A place you can call home. Are you with me?"

I watched Thomas turn away and walk back into one of the rooms as scattered applause and cheers started at Vince's speech and looked at Newt, who seemed just as destressed as Thomas, but just better at controlling himself. I knew neither boy was leaving this place without Minho, and I knew neither was I.

Newt and I followed Thomas in a few minutes later, knowing there was nothing left for us to see outside. I found Sonya trying to clean Aris's cuts on his face with a bit of cloth, so I immediately found some water and a clean towel to make the process easier. I also made two quick cups of tea, the water already having been boiled, and handed them to the two rescues. "Here, have this." I told them as Aris and Sonya took the cups gratefully.

"Took you guys long enough to find us." Aris said softly, the joke clear in his voice as he smiled at Thomas, Newt and I. I let out a half laugh half sob as I wrapped my arms around the boy once again.

"It's good to have you back, buddy." I said, pulling away to move to Sonya's side, who instinctively let her head rest on my shoulder as I put an arm around her gently, obviously exhausted herself as well. We had been very close in the Clearing, given how little time we'd actually had together, and something like this wasn't abnormal at all, but I could see Newt watching the two of us for some reason.