Work Text:
-Thomas POV-
The bonfire on the beach had been full of laughter and harmless jokes. Thomas was sure he had never felt more complete as he watched his friends enjoy each other’s company, finally free of their pasts. After the initial energy of the evening had faded away, Thomas and Newt sat together, just taking in their surroundings. They had done it. They had escaped the maze. They had escaped W.C.K.D. They had escaped. They were free.
Newt sighed and kicked a stone. “I think I’ll head to bed now.”
Thomas grinned, “Already? How much of an old man are you?”
Newt gave him an amused glance.
“I’m bloody tired Tommy. Goodnight.” He patted Thomas on the shoulder and stood up. Thomas watched him walk away for a few paces.
He cupped his mouth, “Newt?”
Newt paused and turned to face Thomas.
“See you tomorrow.”
Newt nodded slowly and slicked his hair back with his hand.
“Goodnight, Tommy.”
He continued his walk into the shadows of the night.
Thomas stayed at the campfire and enjoyed the moment. His friends were happy here and so was he. Then again, something didn’t feel right. He looked down at the place Newt had been sitting minutes earlier. A necklace. Newts necklace.
Immediately, Thomas picked it off the floor and jumped up.
“You alright?” Minho glanced over to him.
“Yeah, just need to catch up with Newt, I’ll be back in a bit.”
Thomas walked away from the fire and headed the direction he had seen Newt take. He passed many huts where people were settling down for the night. The haven made him think back to the glade, but fondly. He liked that. Thomas made his way to Newt’s cabin before knocking on the door.
“Newt?”
No answer.
“Newt?” He pushed the door slightly and it swung open. He scanned the room but there was no one there.
“Strange…” he mumbled to himself. Maybe Newt had gone elsewhere, meeting up with Sonya perhaps? Thomas walked back to the bonfire, miffed. He was only yards away when he subconsciously looked up towards the nearby cliffs. He liked them, they were always pretty in the moonlight. But he wasn’t thrilled when he saw movement up there.
Immediately, he changed directions and in a quick walk, he headed towards the cliff. People weren’t really allowed up there too long after sundown, so who had decided to take a late night walk alone? Thomas swallowed down a bad gut feeling and carried himself slightly faster.
The walk felt hazardous in itself, jagged stones littered the overgrown path and stray logs laid unevenly on either side. The higher Thomas went, the tighter he gripped the necklace.
Why did he feel so anxious? It wasn’t like anything bad was definitely going to happen, they were miles away from any dangerous civilisations. But then again, you couldn’t be too careful if you were someone like Thomas. Who knows, it could be W.C.K.E.D spying on them-
Thomas paused and took a deep breath. His anxious thoughts were clouding his mind. Breathe in. Breathe out. He continued walking.
At the top, Thomas tied the necklace around his throat and walked quietly, just in case. A person stood in the clearing, barely illuminated by the moon light. Thomas wanted to call out to them, but something stopped him.
The outline of the stranger, was so… familiar.
Newt.
Thomas called out. He shouted. He screamed. Not that it mattered.
Newt had stepped off of the edge.
-Newt POV-
The cold air whipped at Newt’s face. This was it. After all him and his friends had been through, he had expected the haven to give him comfort but it didn’t. If anything, it made him homesick. Then again, he had hated the Glade. Nothing made sense. At the age of thirteen, he had tried to ‘escape’ the maze his own way and failed. Time and time again, he had tried hinting to Tommy and the others that he was ready to go but they never noticed. They had even gone as far as risking their own lives to get him the cure for the flare.
And here he was, standing on the cliff in the haven. It was almost like he could see them, Alby, Ben, Winston, Zart, all of them… even his parents. Lizzie was safe and sound in the haven, but it pained Newt that she would probably never remember him.
There was too much in his mind.
Far too much.
The endless nightmares of his past didn’t help either.
Was living really this hard? He just wanted to slip away quietly from the fabric of the world and return to the stars.
A few days earlier, he had gone up to the cliff at dusk. He had planned to jump then, but Tommy’s face played in his mind, his eager and childish excitement for the upcoming bonfire pained Newt. He couldn’t spoil Tommy’s mood by being drastic. He waited. Every hour dragged on. He waited. And there he was.
Newt slapped his face. Why was his brain working overtime and making him think so much.
One step towards the edge.
Then another.
He wasn’t aware that Tommy had spotted him.
He wasn’t aware that Tommy was screaming his name.
The only thing that existed was the roaring of the wind.
The crashing of the sea onto the rocks below.
The blood in his head rushing around and deafening him.
Another step.
Another step.
He closed his eyes and silently bid farewell the the world.
Then,
one
last
step.
-Thomas POV-
Thomas had been a good runner in the Glade. He was glad his instincts had stuck with him. Newt’s wrist was gripped in his hand as he leant over the cliff on his stomach. Newt looked up at him with large, terrified eyes.
“Tommy?”
Thomas tried to pull him up but his grip was loosening. If only he could just-
All of a sudden, he slipped forwards and lost his balance. He caught a rock by pure luck and there they hung, hovering hundreds of metres from the dark, raging abyss of the sea.
“Tommy why?” Newt was crying now, and Thomas felt tears cascading down his face.
Thomas gritted his teeth and gathered all of his strength.
“Because…” he grunted and pulled Newt up.
“…I promised-“ another grunt. He lifted Newt further up. He was vaguely aware of voices, that they had been spotted by the people on the beach. Was someone calling his name? He focused everything onto Newt, looking into his eyes with sadness but a grim determination.
“that I would,”
He hoisted Newt up and the boy grabbed the cliff ledge. Thomas pushed his feet up before trying to follow.
“save you!” He shouted the words as his world came crashing down.
Newt had rolled onto his side on the cliff.
Thomas wasn’t so lucky.
The rock he had seized in his efforts to help Newt dislodged itself.
He felt it move underneath his hand.
“Newt?” He mumbled, dizzy with faded adrenaline.
The rock toppled and Thomas was sent flying back.
The sea raged beneath him.
Was he flying?
The wind screamed in his ears- or was that a person..?
He saw a face, then everything went dark.
-Newt POV-
Tommy had found him.
He couldn’t move, only stare at the other boy as he was assisted back to safety. Why did Tommy care about him so much, to the point he was risking his life for him? Newt knew he had no other choice but to scramble up and help Tommy. He couldn’t leave now, not after Tommy had just-
A crack.
As soon as Newt knelt down and faced Tommy, the small lifeline the boy had been clinging onto crumbled. Newt screamed and tried to grab Tommy but he was just out of reach. He was about to jump over the ledge after him when he felt a strong pair of arms clasp him, squeezing his shoulders and stomach, pulling him back, and shaking. Sobbing.
Minho had grabbed him and was crying as he pulled Newt away from the edge. Newt was frozen, confused, numb. He stared at the edge in horror. Tommy had disappeared from sight without even a cry out or a scream. Just like that, his Tommy was gone.
And it was because of him.
Newt screamed with rage.
Why was life so unfair?
He jumped up and raced towards the edge but Minho had a firm hold on him. Newt gave up all of his fight when Minho turned him around. The boy’s face was twisted with pain and tears were smeared over his cheeks.
“You… oh Newt.”
Minho pulled him in for a hug and Newt returned it. Both of them were weeping now. Everything had happened so fast.
But Tommy wasn’t gone, he couldn’t be. Newt wouldn’t have it. Tommy was just out of sight, alive and well.
Minho dragged Newt back down to the beach and to the medical tent. His mind was a blur. Multiple people flew in and out of focus, he felt people moving him around, prodding him. He suddenly dropped to the floor and collapsed.
What had just happened?
He woke up in a hospital tent. A cast was wrapped tightly around his arm, but other than that, he seemed fine.
Only he wasn’t.
His heart was shattered.
What was meant to be his escape had turned into him causing his Tommy to… plummet to his death.
It hadn’t sunk in yet, and Newt doubted it ever would. Tommy was such a lively spirit, it seemed like no matter what he would anlways remain undefeated. Then again, he was human. And humans had limits.
Slowly, Newt sat up and stared into space.
Someone seemed to be sitting next to him and they grabbed his shoulder eagerly.
“Newt, thank shuck you’re alive!”
Gally was sitting in a chair looking exhausted but pleased. Newt just stared at him, feeling empty.
“I’m sorry. Please tell everyone I’m sorry. I- I don’t think I’ll be able to look everyone in the eyes again.”
Gally frowned, then a subtle gleam sparkled in his eye.
“No one’s mad at you Newt. Maybe Minho’s a bit upset you tried to leave him again.”
Newt thought back to his first attempt at the maze. Minho had seemed sad but relieved when he pulled through. Had Newt broken his trust again?
“…Newt are you listening to me?”
Newt shook his head.
“Sorry…”
“Stop apologising shank, but as I was saying, we have good news.”
Good news. Good news? How could anything be good after what had just happened?
Gally must’ve seen his expression because his gaze softened slightly.
“That night, we all spotted you and Thomas, so there were people on hand to help…”
Newts heart raced slightly. What did Gally mean?
“So when we saw Thomas fall, people were already diving in to get him.”
“Is Tommy okay?” Newt practically jumped out of the bed. Gally gently pushed him back.
“It was Frypan and Brenda, they dragged his unconscious body out of the water.”
A silence filled the tent before Gally continued.
“He was in a fought shape, looked like a griever had got him, but…”
He nodded to the tent door.
“We have some great med-jacks, I must say, so I think his condition has bettered over the past days.”
Newt was so relieved that the ‘past days’ almost slipped his mind.
“Wait, past days? How long was I out for.”
“Phew, I’d say.. a good fifty one hours maybe?”
Newt climbed out of the bed and started walking.
“Hey where are you going shank?” Gally grabbed his arm.
“I have to see him.” Newt turned back and stared at Gally pleadingly. Gally sighed and dropped his hand.
“He’s in the larger med area. Careful though, your arm was in a nasty shape from the strain.”
Newt smiled.
“Thank you Gally.”
He turned his heel and fled out of the tent.
Immediately, the sun blinded his weak eyes. It seemed to be a work day so no one was around to interrupt Newt’s mission thankfully. Only a few metres away, facing the beach, stood a large hut with curtains for a door. Newt crept inside and looked around.
It was surprisingly light in there. A soft, warm glow penetrated through the curtains. Tommy laid on a bed silently. Newt suddenly felt uneasy, put he swallowed his anxiety and approached the bed.
Tommy had bandages over his chest and shoulder, but the rest of his body was tucked underneath the blankets. Newt was glad for this. He hated seeing Tommy look so fragile.
Sleep and fatigue hit Newt in that moment. He had suffered mentally as well as physically that night. Without anything netter to do, and desperately needing comfort, Newt crept onto the bed and laid on top of the covers, facing Tommy.
He stared at the unconscious boy for a few seconds.
He looked so peaceful.
Newt squinted his eyes but couldn’t rest. Then, he saw it.
His necklace was tied around Tommy’s neck, gleaming in the sunlight. He stared at it before reaching out and holding it gently. Had that been the reason Tommy had tried to find him? To return it? It hadn’t been opened, that was for sure. Newt let go of it and sighed. Of course his bloody suicide note was the reason his attempt failed. Still, it was sweet of Tommy and Newt felt warm inside.
He was glad to be near to Tommy again but he also still felt worried, as if he should be doing something to help the boy.
Carefully, Newt lifted up the blanket and saw Tommy’s hand laid on the bed. He placed his fingers on the wrist and felt for a pulse. It was normal, slow and relaxed.
Relieved, Newt shut his eyes tight and let sleep overtake his mind.
-Thomas POV-
The entire ordeal was an entirely new and strange experience.
First he was falling through the air, then he crashed into the water.
It felt like daggers were slicing into his skin.
He couldn’t see.
He couldn’t breathe.
Coldness surrounded him and cut off all his contact with life.
Was he dead?
Then hands.
One, two, three? Four.
They hoisted him away from the impending doom of coldness and settled him on something soft.
Sand maybe?
Compared to the sea, it felt like cotton.
He could hear voices now, but they felt distorted. He swore Brenda’s voice echoed above him, then Frypan’s. Maybe even Vince too. The voices swirled around until Thomas couldn’t take it anymore. He still couldn’t see and breathing felt difficult. His mind blanked.
When he woke up, he saw lots of people surrounding him. Was Newt there? He hoped the boy was alright. The people stared talking and pointing when they saw him open his eyes. What was going on. He tried to speak but his words were slurred.
This was a total nightmare. He couldn’t form words his throat was raw. With his mind suddenly splitting with a headache, he succumbed to sleep. After what felt like a few seconds, Thomas gasped and opened his eyes, fully this time.
No people. No loud sounds. He could hear the faint melody of birds outside. This was nicer. As he regained his mental balance, he felt a throbbing pain consume his legs, then his chest, then his shoulder.
And in a few seconds, everything hit him.
Thomas could’ve sworn that he had taken drugs before because the few moments of tranquil peace he had experienced where instantly replaced with pain.
His legs felt on fire, his ribs felt on fire, his shoulder was literally smouldering as far as he could tell.
The memories were the worst part however.
They came back in little fractured pieces until the whole story sat in his mind.
He had spotted Newt, he had dived for a Newt, he had saved Newt. Then he had fallen. He wouldn’t have minded that, as long as Newt was okay, he was okay, but the look the boy had given him when he had grabbed his wrist. Sad eyes, trembling lip, it was as if Newt was heartbroken because Thomas had saved him.
And that was true.
Tears stung Thomas’s face as those few moments repeated in his head. Newt had wanted an exit, a chance to leave and be free, and he had failed him. Just how he had failed him at the crank palace.
“Why me?” Newts eyes seemed to say.
“Why would you save… me?”
The boy didn’t know his own worth.
Thomas had ruined Newt and saved himself by ‘rescuing’ him. He knew it was utterly selfish, but he couldn’t bare to live without Newt. And it seemed like Newt couldn’t bare living.
With Thomas now bed-rotting in pain, he wondered what Newt was doing. Was he sleeping? Was he working? Or was he wallowing around in self pity?
Thinking of Newt eased Thomas’s pain a little, so that what he did until he fell asleep.
So you can imagine his confusion when his dreams of peace and relaxing quietly together with the boy seemed to have become reality.
Newt was curled up next to him in a deep sleep.
Cautious not to wake the boy or worsen his own injuries. Thomas tuned onto his side and faced Newt before slipping the blanket over him. Newt looked sad and lonely. All Thomas wanted to do was comfort him, so that’s what he did. As gently as possible, he wrapped an arm around the taller boy. He was about to move the other when he noticed that Newt had his hand on his wrist. Thomas smiled to himself before sliding his arm aaway and placing a hand on Newt head, gently combing his hair. Pleased and comfortable, Thomas fell asleep.
-Newt POV-
Newt had experienced one of the worst nightmares of his life. He was running through the maze and a griever was hot on his tail. Tommy was a few metres ahead, but just out of reach. He tried to catch up but Tommy was getting faster and faster, and his limp was getting worse.
“Tommy!” He cried.
Tommy disappeared around a corner, then a horrifying scream. Newt turned the corner to see a second griever with Tommy in its mouth. Minho, Frypan and Gally’s bodies had been strewn across the ground, probably butchered only minutes earlier.
As the other griever bounded up behind him, he couldn’t run. He was trapped. He was going to watch Tommy die and not even have time to mourn his friends before his turn came. He screamed with rage and terror-
“Newt…” a voice murmured by his ear.
Newt opened his eyes and blinked a few times.
“You were trembling. Everything alright in there?” Tommy stopped combing Newt’s hair and prodded his forehead.
Newt froze as he realised his situation.
“Huh?”
Then he looked at Tommy, alive, breathing, right beside him. He let out a small huff and nodded.
“Just bloody nightmares.”
“Mhm.” Tommy continued combing Newts hair. Newt paused again, still unsure how he had gotten into this predicament. Then he remembered falling asleep next to Tommy. It seemed like the other boy had tried to care for him by giving him the blankets.
“Sorry Tommy-“ he tried to speak but Tommy glared at him.
“Don’t you dare apologise. I’m glad I was there. I’m glad you’re safe.”
Newt didn’t know how to react, so he didn’t. He just closed his eyes. He wanted to melt into the mattress and disappear, but at the same time he wanted to stay close to Tommy. He still hadn’t really clocked how close they really were.
Tommy had basically pulled him into a hug lying down and was messing with his hair. Newt felt himself blushing, was this seriously happening? The moment ended however when someone else entered the room. Newt found himself feeling disappointed when Thomas shuffled away, but he copied and laid his eyes on the visitor.
Minho.
“Oh god, Minho I’m-“ Newt tried to piece together an apology but he was cut off. Minho grabbed him and Tommy and tackled them into a hug.
“Can you two slintheads stop going off and dying without me?” He sounded so sad, yet so pleased. Newt found himself crying and the three huddled together, sharing their mutual emotions. Minho pulled away and glanced at Newt, with a look that said both, ‘I’m not happy with you’ and ‘I’m so glad you’re here right now.’
Newt felt calm and watched Minho and Tommy interact. Minho grabbed Tommy’s shoulders and squeezed them.
”You are one crazy shuck-face.”
Tommy chuckled, a sound that made Newt’s heart light up.
“Still as reckless as I was in the maze huh?”
Minho let go and looked between the pair briefly.
“I wish I could stay but I’ve got work and you two need rest. Now off to sleep with you.” He raised an eyebrow and Newt smiled. He found it funny how easily Minho’s demeanour shifted from overly emotional to rational and stern. The boys nestled down and Minho left, leaving them in a peaceful quiet.
-Thomas POV-
Minhos arrival and departure had made Thomas feel much better. He had friends that really cared about him, and that was something he would never let go of. As he laid back down, he turned to Newt and changed his tone to a more serious one.
“Newt?”
“Yeah?”
Thomas paused and thought about his phrasing.
“Just.. please please…. Never do something like that again.”
“Tommy-“
Thomas wasn’t done.
“I know your life sucks. Everyone’s does, but yours is especially awful, I… I sound so selfish, but I cannot live without you. Neither can Minho and I know that for a fact. Please just think for a bit, no sudden answers, but if you go, I’m going too.”
Thomas could see Newt’s eyes become glossy and he felt the boy’s muscles go rigid.
Without thinking, he pulled Newt into a tight embrace and cried. He let all of his built up emotions out and just sobbed into Newt’s chest. He felt Newt patting him on the back and talking softly.
“I’ll think about it Tommy. For you, for Minho.”
Thomas nodded and clung onto Newt’s shirt as if the boy was seconds away from vanishing.
He felt one of Newt’s hands move from his back and press against his chest, right where his necklace was. Newt had noticed he had kept it safe and was smiling fondly down at him.
“I’m here now.”
Newt’s words want waves of reassurance through Thomas’s bones and he settled, still in the same position. He felt sleep tugging at his conscious, but not until a few words were mumbled into his ear, giving him butterflies.
“I think I know the meaning now, Tommy. The missing puzzle piece in my heart. It had always been you, I was just too blind to see it.”
Newt fell asleep before he could see the redness on Thomas’s face.
“I love you.” Thomas whispered quietly.