Work Text:
Newton and Sonya were drinking tea on their front porch in quiet companionship. Even though they were grown up and out of their parents’ house they still lived together cause it was cheaper and they both wanted to live out of the city yet still be an easy commute to each of their respective jobs. At least they finally had their own rooms, 18 years of sharing a room and you’d think they’d get tired of it but they were surprisingly good roommates. Newt folded over his academic paper he was reading for his masters and Sonya was reading the news on her phone, when a moving truck pulled up in front of the house for sale next door, shattering the silence of the neighborhood. Apparently it wasn’t for sale anymore.
The engine bucked to a stop and quieted down as a dark-haired man jumped down out of the cab of the U Haul and began lifting the back door of the trailer. Newt could see muscles rippling on his back under his shirt but just turned the page and tried not to be obvious he was looking. Sonya commented, “He’s alone, I wonder who he is. We should bake something for him.”
“Sonya, he just got here, give him some time to settle in.”
“Newt, you should go over and help, he has a lot of furniture in the back there. That’s a two-man job,” she said, peering into the shadowy recesses of the back of the truck from her sitting position.
Newt sighed and put his papers down on the little table and stood up. As he started down the steps of his porch and towards the neighbor, Thomas finally noticed the brother and sister next door.
He waved Newt over and shouted a greeting, “Hey, I’ve just bought this place! I’m moving in now!” His enthusiasm was catching, and his smile twinkled from his eyes. Newt’s breath was caught in his chest as he kept walking towards the man who he realized was about his height, if not a little taller. Thomas clasped his hand as he came level with him, “I’m Thomas Edison, nice to meet ya,” he introduced himself.
“Newton Isaacs, but you can call me Newt,” he replied, shaking Thomas’s hand, their grips firm. He pointed his thumb back over his shoulder, “That’s my sister Sonya. Welcome to the neighborhood mate.”
Thomas grinned, a little taken aback by the blond man’s British accent. It was more than he expected when he saw the thin man approaching him, with an almost unnoticeable limp. This guy was interesting, and Thomas had no idea what to make of him. He seemed friendly enough though so he clapped his back and said thanks.
“Would you like some help with your furniture? My sister noticed you had a lot back there,” Newt asked, smiling.
“That would be great man, if you’re not too busy?”
“Of course not, I’m just enjoying the sunshine today.” Newt gave him a welcoming smile and hopped up into the back of the trailer, his hands already reaching for the nearest piece of furniture. Thomas followed him up into the shade of the trailer and helped maneuver his couch out.
“This was my mother’s stuff; I got half, and my sister, Teresa, got half. I’m getting a new start, but it’s nice to have pieces of home in the new place,” Thomas said thoughtfully as they carried the couch through the front door. Newt was a quiet listener, an earnest expression always on his face. They went back and forth between the truck and house, slowly diminishing the pile of furniture and boxes in the back of the truck, chatting amiably as the shadows moved. A couple hours later, Newt and Thomas were sitting on the couch that was haphazardly in the middle of the new living room, resting as they let their sweat from the beating sun dry a little. Sonya came over with freshly-baked snickerdoodle cookies and a carafe of cool water.
Thomas jumped up, taking the tray from her and setting it on the kitchen countertop.
“Wow thank you Sonya, you didn’t have to do this! Newt helping me move in was quite enough. I think I’ve got some glasses here somewhere,” he said, ripping open a box, easily breaking the packing tape seal without a thought.
Newt grinned at Sonya and she looked back at him, a knowing look in her eyes. He was exactly her brother’s type and maybe this summer was going to be much more interesting than they had realized. The three new neighbors shared the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other and munching on Sonya’s cookies as they flitted about the house, putting boxes in the right rooms. Sonya and Newt left their new friend’s cheery house that evening as the sun was setting, and thoughts of Thomas kept playing in Newt’s head. Meeting him had been an unexpected highlight of his day, and he knew there would be many happy days to come.