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Newt stopped short when he emerged from his bedroom to see someone he didn’t know asleep on his couch. Then, assuming that he was simply one of Minho’s friends who had crashed for the night, he shrugged and went to make breakfast.
Thomas woke up slowly before being slammed with a horrible headache. He clutched at his head and groaned, throwing off the blanket that had been tossed over him sometime in his sleep and stumbling into the kitchen in search of painkillers. It took him longer than he would care to admit to realize that there was someone else in the room with him, humming to himself and preparing food.
Thomas grabbed the first thing he could reach and brandished it at the intruder. “What the hell are you doing in my apartment?” he demanded.
The blond turned to face him, a wry smile curving his lips upward. “Your apartment? Still a bit tipsy there, then?” his nose scrunched up and his eyes twinkled with laughter. “You do realize you’re threatening me with half a loaf of bread, right? I’m not sure how much damage that could do. But all the same, let’s be safe here.” He said, playfully sarcastic as he raised his hands in surrender.
Thomas stared blankly at the incredibly attractive stranger for a moment before setting the bread down on the counter. “Why are you here, though?”
“I guess Minho didn’t tell you he had a roommate, then? He left before you woke up, sorry. He’ll be back in a couple hours, though, so you’re welcome to wait for him.”
Thomas shook his head, desperately needing to clear it. “I don’t… who’s Minho?”
The blond’s eyebrows drew together in concern. “How much did you bloody drink last night? Minho—my friend, your friend, my roommate and pain in the ass. Oh, I’m Newt, by the way.” He held out his hand to Thomas, who shook it apprehensively.
“Right… Thomas,” he replied. He glanced around the room for the first time and his heart sank.
“Nice to meet—”
“Oh my God, this isn’t my apartment.”
“Right…” Newt stared at him questioningly.
“I… I am so sorry,” he said, eyes wide and looking scandalized. “I don’t know a Minho, and I don’t know you. It was my friend Chuck’s birthday last night and we got drunk and I think I may have accidentally broken into your apartment. I’m so sorry.” He said penitently.
Newt stared at him for a moment before shrugging. “No worries. You seem normal enough. Bacon?”
“What?” the word with its incredulous inflection escaped Thomas’ lips before he could think.
“Do you want any bacon? I’ve got toast as well. Oh, and those are for you.” He nodded to a container of painkillers and a glass of water on the counter.
“Oh, so that’s why you’re being so nice. You’re trying to drug me.”
Newt looked offended. “Trying to help, actually. I assumed that you would have a terrible hangover. Anyway, it’s just Tylenol. And besides, you were the one who broke into my apartment. If I was trying to drug you, it would only make us even.”
Thomas shook his head. “No, I uh… I’m just going to go home. Sorry again.” He turned and rushed out of the room and then apartment before Newt could reply.
---
Later that day, Thomas and Chuck’s group of friends were all together in the booth of a nearby bar when he decided to bring up the strange beginning to his day.
“Do you guys know a Newt or Minho who live in my building?” Thomas asked the group. Chuck shook his head, but almost everyone else spoke up.
“I’m friends with both of them. Have I never mentioned them to you before?” Alby asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“Maybe in passing, but—”
“I know Newt!” Brenda interrupted. “He’s probably the sweetest guy I know.”
“Definitely the sweetest guy I know,” Teresa said, nodding her agreement. “I only met Minho the one time, but I’ve had a few classes with Newt. He’s seriously great.”
Thomas sighed. “So everyone knows him and yet no one ever mentioned him.”
“Why are you asking about them?” Frypan asked.
Thomas’ cheeks burned red. “Um… well, I was really drunk after last night and I guess I broke into their apartment instead of going to mine—which isn’t fair because we have the same numbers, we’re just on different floors. I was confused.”
“Holy shit, did Minho try to beat you up?” Gally asked slightly too eagerly.
“He wasn’t there. It was just Newt, and I—well, I thought he was in my apartment so I kind of freaked out on him before I realized that it wasn’t mine.”
“And?” Brenda prompted.
“And… he offered me food and medicine and I accused him of trying to drug me and ran away. And now I feel horrible. What do I do?” he slumped back in his seat in defeat.
“Easy,” Teresa said, rolling her eyes. “Just go see him and apologize for being weird, idiot.”
“That has to be too simple though, right? He was so nice and I completely freaked out on him.”
“You’re making too big a deal out of this. Yes, you were an embarrassing weirdo, but you just need to go apologize. It’s meant to be simple.”
---
Thomas raised his fist and hesitated indecisively for several seconds before knocking on the door before him.
Several moments later, the door swung open to reveal someone who was decidedly not Newt, so Thomas assumed him to be Minho.
“Uh, hi. Is Newt home?”
“No, but his class ends in a bit. He’ll be back any minute if you wanna wait for him,” the boy offered.
“Thanks,” he entered the apartment as Minho stepped aside. “I’m Thomas, by the way.”
“Minho. D’you want to play while you wait?” he gestured to his Xbox which was paused on a game in GTA V.
“I think I’ll just watch, actually, but thanks.”
The next twenty minutes were spent with Minho carrying out various heists and Thomas beginning to wish that he had just decided to avoid the residents of this apartment forever rather than apologize as his apprehension grew. Then, the door opened again.
Newt came inside and tossed his bag onto a chair, starting to address Minho before noticing Thomas.
“Oh, hey,” he offered an awkward greeting, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. “So you are one of Minho’s friends, then?”
“No, I—”
“You don’t know him? He was waiting for you,” Minho said suspiciously, pausing the game and moving to stand protectively in front of his best friend.
“Minho, it’s fine,” Newt threw the boy a reassuring smile and put a hand on his arm. “We’ll just go talk in my room.” He gestured toward another room and Thomas followed, Minho still eyeing him distrustfully and prompting Newt to close the door.
“So what’s up?” Newt asked, jumping up onto his bed and sitting cross-legged.
“I wanted to apologize.” Thomas said immediately. “I broke into your home, and then you were all nice and understanding and got me medicine and food and I should’ve been so grateful even just for you not calling the cops. But then I went and acted like a total jerk when you were just trying to help and basically… I’m really sorry.”
Newt looked contemplative for a moment and then simply nodded. “Apology accepted.”
“Really? Just like that?” Thomas asked incredulously.
“Just like that,” Newt nodded. “I completely understand. You were hung-over and confused, and it’s perfectly normal to be distrustful of pills that a stranger is offering you. I get it. We’re good.”
Thomas stared at him for a moment before his lips began to curl into a smile of their own volition. “That’s really cool of you.”
The blond returned the grin. “Nice of you to say.”
“Hey, would you want to get dinner sometime?” Thomas blurted out the words before he could even process that the thought had entered his mind.
“D’you mean like as a date, or…?” he trailed off questioningly, eyebrows raised.
“No, no, it doesn’t have to—just for sorry—” Thomas cut himself off with a groan.
Newt laughed. “Just for sorry, huh? Dammit, I would’ve loved a date with you, Tommy.”
“Really?” A nod and sincere smile from Newt prompted him to continue. “Well, in that case, yes, I’m asking you out.”
“For both sorry and a date? Cheap bastard,” Newt grinned. “It’s a date. Here, give me your phone. I’ll put in my number and we can make plans later.” Thomas fished the device out of his pocket and handed it to the blond who continued to speak as he added his number. “Of course, you could always just break into my apartment in the middle of the night to speak to me if you needed to.” Bright red spots appeared on Thomas’ cheeks and Newt snickered as he handed the phone back. “Right, now I need to make dinner for the helpless lump of person in my living room.” He got up and had his hand on the doorknob before pausing. “You can stay if you like.” With that, he left the room, leaving Thomas feeling quite glad that he was now guilty of breaking and entering.