Title: Newt's Crush

Summary: Newt feels guilty about keeping his crush on Alby a secret, so he resolves to tell his best friend. But it's harder than it looks.

Rated: T

Genre(s): Romance, Friendship, Drama

Pairing(s): Newt/Alby, Thomas/Minho

Warning(s): Angst, mentioning of attempted suicide

Newt had committed the worst possible sin he could imagine: falling in love with his best friend.

He and Alby had been best friends for two years, and in that time he had managed to keep his feelings entirely platonic for a year. A year ago, he had tried to commit suicide. He had given up on his friends, and on Alby, who had been furious with him. Newt remembered that day like it was yesterday. He remembered waking up from his coma a few days later, and the first thing he had heard was Alby sobbing beside his bed. That was the first time Newt had ever seen his best friend cry, and it broke his heart. Alby made him swear that he would never try to kill himself again, and when Newt agreed, Alby had held Newt in his arms for a long time, both of them silent, just enjoying each other's company.

He'd been head over heels for Alby ever since.

Newt wasn't sure how he'd kept his feelings hidden for so long, but he had. Maybe it was the fact that telling Alby wouldn't help anything, that Newt's love for him was unrequited, that it would just hurt their friendship. Of course, all the Gladers realized quickly that Newt was in love with their leader and they tried to talk him into confessing to Alby. Newt stubbornly refused, even when Gally took a crack at getting Newt to crack. Being as stubborn as Newt was, though, he wouldn't.

This was in the earlier days of the Glade. Now, two years later, some of the boys had paired up. Being stuck on a small farm with fifty other teenage boys without any girls did cause hormones to rage. And when Nick got stuck out in the Maze and died, leaving Newt to take his place as second-in-command, Newt got to spend even more quality time alone with Alby. They had already been best friends. Now they were coworkers and as a result of this, they became even closer.

With everyone pairing up, Newt began to get sick of everyone acting all lovey-dovey around him. Minho was just about the only friend he had who didn't have a boyfriend, and he understood where Newt was coming from.

"I get it, dude," Minho said one evening. "It's shucking annoying."

"Right?" Newt agreed, glad someone understood him. That was why, after Alby, Minho was his best friend.

"I still think you should tell Alby, though."

Newt groaned, wanting to smack Minho upside the head. "I can't, Minho. It'll ruin our friendship."

"It won't," Minho said. "Even if he doesn't love you like that-"

"How bloody reassuring," interrupted Newt.

"Even if he doesn't love you like that, you know he'll accept your feelings," Minho pointed out. "He's your best friend."

"It's a bad idea, Minho," Newt said, and still kept his feelings a secret from Alby.

Then Tommy had come to the Glade, and things started happening, and one day while Newt was working in the Gardens, hot and sweaty, Minho came over to him with the Greenbean, a huge smile on his face. Newt couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Minho so happy. "What's bloody wrong with you?" Newt demanded.

"Thomas and I are together," Minho announced.

Great. Just bloody great. So much for Minho understanding how Newt felt because he didn't have a boyfriend. Now Newt felt really alone. "Good for you," Newt snapped. "Now leave me alone."

Minho sighed, his smile disappearing for a second, and he whispered in Newt's ear, "Tell him." Then he left with Thomas, holding hands with his new boyfriend.

Newt looked over at Alby, who was talking to the Med-jacks, Clint and Jeff. For the first time, he actually considered it. What would Alby say? Did Alby feel the same way about him? For the first time, he burned with curiosity to know. The guilt that he had been feeling for the past year intensified. Minho was right. They were best friends and best friends told each other everything - and accepted each other. Newt knew he could trust Alby, and even if the idea that Alby didn't feel the same scared the klunk out of Newt, Alby deserved to know how Newt felt about him.

Newt told Zart, the Keeper of the Gardens, that he was taking a break and went over to Alby, who was still talking to Clint and Jeff. "Alby, I need to talk to you," Newt said, his heart pounding. "Now." Clint and Jeff took the hint and grinned at Newt, patting him on the back before leaving him alone with Alby.

"Everything okay?" Alby asked him, his dark eyes filled with concern, and Newt's heart fluttered. He resisted the strong impulse to kiss Alby. Bad idea.

Instead, he said, "Can we go somewhere private?"

If Newt didn't know any better, he would have said Alby was blushing. But their leader didn't blush. "Of course," he said, and Newt spent the few minutes that were spent following his best friend towards the Deadheads gathering his courage. Too late to back out now. "What's up?" Alby asked.

Newt opened his mouth to confess and burst into tears. Alby's eyes widened and he pulled Newt into a tight hug. Newt buried his face in Alby's shoulder and cried himself out, lifting his head when he was done.

Alby gently wiped away Newt's tears and asked, "What's wrong?" Newt mumbled his confession through his tears, but Alby didn't understand him. "What?" Alby asked.

Newt leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Alby's, squeezing his eyes shut. Alby gasped into the kiss and Newt felt his best friend's arms slide around his waist, pulling him even closer. Alby's tongue brushed against his and Newt whimpered, deepening the kiss. Newt reached for the buttons on Alby's shirt and unbuttoned it, running his hands over Alby's warm bare skin.

They kissed for a long time, and Newt ached to have Alby's mouth back on his the instant his best friend pulled away. He was shocked to see that Alby was crying. "Newt, I...wow," Alby breathed.

Newt kissed him again, deeply, and let it linger for a few long moments before he broke apart. "I love you," Newt said.

Alby smiled at the younger boy through his tears and caressed Newt's face gently. "I love you, too, Newt. I love you so much." Fresh tears streamed down Newt's cheeks and Alby ran his fingers over them. "Why are you crying?"

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Newt admitted.

Alby stared at him for a long moment, stunned, before he said, "You idiot," and pulled Newt into another kiss.

AN: Hope you liked it! Please review :)