Fingerprints

Twenty-one

Newt barged into the lady's house, out of breath and frantic. Mrs Norris simply raised an eyebrow and patted the seat next to her on the couch. The blond slumped next to her and groaned.

"What's on your mind dear?" She asked softly. He rubbed his eyes with his palms, peaking through his fingers at the lady.

"Mrs N, have you ever been in love?" He asked, dropping his arms to his sides.

"Of course. I loved my husband more than everything. Let me guess dear, you've got the sickness." She grinned knowingly. Newt furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What's the sickness?"

"You're love sick." She said like it was obvious. Well, it was. From the outside looking in, it would probably take someone like Mrs Norris two seconds of watching the way Newt looked at Thomas to figure out he had fallen, hard. Newt groaned, sinking into the couch even more.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Oh it was obvious the day you came in here with him. I haven't seen someone look at someone else like that since I looked at my husband. You've been head over heels for longer than you realise Newt." She laughed softly. Newt wanted the world to swallow him up.

"I can't help it. I mean, have you seen him?! He's so handsome, and sweet. God, he's so kind, and, and understanding. He makes me cry with laughter, makes my heart flutter whenever I see him. He's saved my life so many times and just..it's a rush. He's like a drug. Every time we touch it's like an electric shock, and, well.." he took a deep breath, "if it was any of my other partners, and they asked me to crash a bus with them, I'd tell them to go fuck themselves and abandon ship..but..Tommy..he, he does something to me. I trusted him enough to stay on the bus, even though he had no control over it and I knew we could have died. He makes me reckless, and it's exhilarating. I put so much trust in him, even if it's something he knows could go horribly wrong, because..well I don't know.

'It's something in his eyes. He could ask me to throw myself off a cliff and tell me I'd survive, and I wouldn't do it. But if he looked at me, I'd do it. Because I trust him. I trust his word. I trust his eyes. He makes my heart jumpstart. I..is it possible to be addicted to a person?" He glanced at his old neighbour with genuine concern. She chuckled lightly and popped a mint in her mouth from the small bowl on her coffee table.

"Ah young love. I haven't seen this in so long. Being in love for the first time is a very strange thing." She sucked on her mint and thought. "Why don't you tell him how you feel?" She turned to the blond, who was fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"Because I don't want to ruin anything. This partnership- this friendship. If I ruined it, I..I don't know what I'd do. I didn't realise how much I rely on him. When did that happen? I mean, I used to go to Minho if I needed anything, but now..now I go to Tommy. Other than that, I'm currently living in his shucking home. If I fucked it up, I mean, what if he kicked me out? I might fuck up my friendship and also become homeless." He waved his arms around dramatically.

"I thought you said he was sweet."

"He is."

"Then why are you scared about him taking it badly? If he truly cares about you, even if he doesn't feel the same way, he'll still be your friend. If he truly cares about you, he won't kick you out. Newt, don't overthink it. Good friends stick with each other, through thick and thin. He seems like a very good man, and if he is, he won't let a crush change your relationship." she shrugged. Newt nodded slowly, sighing softly.

"You're so smart Mrs N. Thanks."

"No problem dear. I look forward to hearing all about how this little romance evolves." she grinned mischievously. The blond rolled his eyes, as his phone went off. It was Thomas. He groaned and tried to hide the obvious blush on his cheeks.

"Don't look at me like that." he pouted at the old lady who was smirking at him, before picking up. "I thought I told you to rest you bloody shuck face." Mrs N raised an eyebrow at the way he talked to the man, but Newt reassured her with a look that they were just teasing. The lady nudged him, and the brit rolled his eyes, grudgingly putting it on speaker.

"I did, I slept for two hours."

"How is that long enough? You need more strength Tommy, two hours ain't gonna do jack shit."

"Sorry mama Noot. Anyway, why are you so grumpy? Am I not allowed to call my best friend?" He could practically hear the teasing smirk in the brunettes voice.

"Well when you got shot I was hoping I could at least get a few days off without hearing your annoying voice."

"Aww, you really do know how to make a girl feel special Newt, ya know that?"

"Do you have any idea how much you get on my bloody nerves?" Mrs Norris was chuckling quietly at the bickering pair.

"It's not my fault you're so easy to wind up buttercup." The lady raised an eyebrow at the nickname, but Newt just waved her off with a blush.

"Yeah yeah, what do you want Rambo?"

"Are you busy tomorrow night?" His partner asked bluntly. The man and the older lady met each others wide eyed gaze.

"Well, no. But aren't you? When are they keeping you 'till?"

"Oh I can leave tonight."

"Really?" Newt practically squeaked, trying to hide his excitement at the prospect of Thomas being back in the apartment. He'd spent the evening sat on the windowsill, playing ABBA and painting the night sky, willing Thomas to wake up and cure his loneliness.

"Aww what, you excited for me to come home?" The american smirked, Newt scoffing as though the prospect was ridiculous.

"You wish. I just need someone to cook."

"Sure ya do."

"Shut up" he grumbled, out of comebacks, quickly changing the topic, "why are you asking me anyway? You better be taking me to some fancy restaurant or I'm going to be pissed."

"Not quite a restaurant, but certainly fancy, and cheap. My mom wants to meet you, and she keeps going on about inviting you round for spaghetti. Something about thanking you for not letting me bleed to death in the town hall."

"Your mum wants to meet me?" He was blushing furiously, and Mrs Norris was not helping, wiggling her eyebrows toward the phone that was in-between the two of them.

"Sure does. If you're cool with that of course."

"Uh..sure, yeah. Sounds good." He swallowed nervously.

"Cool! You at my apartment?"

"Not right now, why?"

"Can you pick up some green beans from the corner shop please? I wanna make steak."

"You got shot yesterday, and now you want to make steak?" Newt repeated.

"Sure, cook you a thank you dinner or whatever. Pleaseeee" he dragged out the word. Newt just groaned.

"Yeah yeah whatever. I'll get some. Oi, Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't die on your way home, good that?"

"Good that."

He hung up, watching Mrs Norris for any judgment. She was just grinning back.

"You two sound like a married couple." She chuckled. The blond rolled his eyes and blushed.

"The shit I put up with."