Chapter Fourteen
Thomas had littered the lounge floor with blankets and pillows and cushions and the two sleeping bags he could find in the house. Despite the presence of the couch everybody was on the floor, splayed out like they were camping under the stars and not the ceiling.
The horror movies were long gone, deemed too much for Chuck and probably the rest of them at this time of night. The moon was high in the sky and they had laptops out, flicking between watching music videos and alternate compilations of several of the pieces the band were working on.
And Christmas songs, of course.
Newt's favourite was currently playing under the low chatter of his friends and he lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as he let the familiar lyrics seep into his skin, bringing that familiar and comforting tug of childhood and Christmases long past that only an old song could.
It's gonna take some time, but i'll get there.
Top to toe and tailback.
Oh i got red lights all around.
But soon there'll be a freeway, yeah.
Get my feet on Holy ground.
So i sing for you, though you can't hear me…
Teresa and Aris were whispering, and Chuck and Minho and Thomas were playing Snap as quietly as anyone could play Snap, which was not very quietly at all. He liked the way he felt, lying there and listening to them all, feeling the friendship in the room like a warm blanket. He'd never had friends like these back home, and in fact despite his seventeen years there his few months here had felt more like home.
He listened, their voices noise he didn't need to define, the laughter making him smile. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling and wishing he could just stay there, like that, forever. The song finished and another began to play. Newt quite liked this one too.
It was Christmas eve, babe.
In the drunk tank.
When an old man said to me:
Won't see another one
And then he sang a song.
The rare old mountain tune,
I turned my face away and dreamed about you
"Is he asleep?"
"Nah, he can't be. He's a night owl."
"Shank, you awake?"
He considered playing asleep. He didn't know why, but he felt like it anyway.
They got cars big as bars they got rivers of gold
And the wind goes right through you it's no place for the old
When you first took my hand on the cold Winter's eve
You promised me Broadway was waiting for me.
"Newt?"
Not any more. He opened his eyes to find Thomas's face peering over at him, upside down. Thomas grinned when he blinked up at him, and Newt felt the familiar tug in his heart. God how he wished he didn't feel the way he did.
"Hey, Tommy."
"He's awake."
"Course he is, Thomas is here. He can't miss a second with Tommy."
Newt groaned and Thomas drew back to - predictably - throw something at Teresa. Of course the closest thing to hand was popcorn.
"Hey, jeez boy, what is with you and that shucking popcorn?"
Thomas simply hummed in response and Newt rolled over to join them.
The boys of the NYPD Choir were singin'
Galway Bay
And the bells were ringin' out, for Christmas Day.
They played Snap and shouted down Teresa when she suggested Truth or Dare. Chuck was there, and they didn't dare play when they knew it would get out of hand. In the end they settled on Scrabble, playing in teams.
Despite the reluctance at the beginning the game swiftly became heated, and Thomas eventually had to send Chuck for the dictionary to prove or disprove accusations of cheating. Most of them were very predictably aimed at Minho - because he was cheating - and less predictably Newt, because he knew lots of weird words.
Thomas and Newt beat everyone hands down, and no amount of teasing from Minho and Teresa dampened his mood. Because Thomas rewarded him with a dazzling grin and a high-five that left his skin tingling.
To top it off Thomas settled on the floor beside Newt when they finally called lights out. And when he was sure everyone was asleep he pulled out his phone. Newt's buzzed in his pocket and Thomas sent him a small smile as he watched Newt read his text.
Tommy: I'm glad we did this. It's been fantastic.
With a smile in Thomas's direction, Newt settled into a more comfortable position and they began a conversation. Thomas settled on his back, his phone above his face as he watched the screen instead of Newt, waiting for the blonde to text back. There was a sweet sort of ache in Newt's chest that made him wonder whether that was how Thomas always lay when they texted late at night.
And then of course the thought of Thomas lying in bed and waiting on texts from him made his heartbeat stumble, and he had to look away. He settled on his back too.
Newt: Me too. I've had so much bloody fun i can't believe i've never done it before!
Thomas sent him a frown but quickly typed back.
Tommy: You've never done this before? Like had a sleepover?
Newt: Well, that too. But i've never done a night in either, really. Not before i came here.
What he wanted to say was Not before you, but he didn't dare. Especially not with Thomas right there next to him.
Tommy: No way. You never had everybody over to just muck about and watch movies? Like we do?
Newt: … No. Tbh there wasn't really an "everybody" to have over.
Honesty was so easy when you were texting. In the dark. Without eye contact.
Tommy: Hard to believe you weren't friends with everybody you ever met.
Newt: I thought that was your thing?
Tommy: Well yeah, but it's so hard to believe you didn't have lots of friends.
Newt paused, touched by his friend's words. He hesitated before asking what he suddenly really wanted to know. He bit his lip and risked a glance at Thomas, but the brunette was frowning intensely at his phone as he awaited Newt's reply.
Newt: Why?
He heard Thomas shifted, a slightly harsher breath. Was he mad at him for asking? A glance at his face told him no. Thomas looked… Well, Thomas looked confused. And sort of sad.
Tommy: Because you're… awesome.
Newt: You're joking, right? I mean bloody hell, have you met me?
Tommy: Many times, yes. And awesome is as good a word as any for what you are.
Newt: How poetic, Tommy. What…. What exactly is it that makes you think i'm awesome?
He typed fast, before he could lose his nerve. His heart was skipping in his chest and anticipation was welling up under his skin. Thomas thought he was awesome. Thomas thought he was awesome. He barely breathed as he waited, listening to Thomas type and too afraid to look over at him. It took a long time, and Newt was expecting a long text, a paragraph at least with the amount of tapping he had listened to.
Tommy: You do.
Newt's heart melted. Trust Thomas to say something like that. Affection was so easy with Thomas, the boy wasn't afraid to show he was fond of his friends. Not like Newt was, terrified someone would misinterpret his actions or words and use it against him. Like the throwaway touches he and Thomas had become so used to.
Newt: In a parallel universe maybe.
Tommy: I don't think there's any parallel universe out there where i wouldn't find you as awesome as you are in this one.
Newt: You are the dorkiest person i might have ever met. And i'm mates with Aris.
Tommy: You're one to talk, you nerd.
Newt: Ouch.
Tommy: It's a good thing, believe me.
Newt: Believe you? You just called me nerdy.
Tommy: Yeah, but nerdy is a good thing. I like nerdy.
Newt: You're just saying that so i won't be able to be mad at you.
Tommy: Newt, you're never able to be mad at me.
Newt: Yeah, well you've yet to do something that makes me properly mad. Then you'll see.
Tommy: I still doubt you'd pull it off. You like me too much.
Newt: You don't believe i could be mad at you?
Tommy: I don't believe you could stay mad at me. Even if you wanted to.
Newt: You insult me.
Tommy: I wouldn't worry. It's a two-way street.
Newt: When would i ever do anything to make you mad? I'm a nice person, i'll have you know.
Tommy: Oh, i know.
Newt: Good.
Tommy: Yeah.
Newt: Dork.
Tommy: Nerd.
Newt: Wanker.
Tommy: Shank.
Newt: You're my best mate, you know that?
He hadn't meant to say that. He had typed it, but he shouldn't have sent it. It was far too soppy, it was going to ruin the moment completely. He shouldn't have-
Tommy: You're mine too.
Newt: What about Minho?
Tommy: Well i love him too, obv. But you're… different.
Newt: Different how?
Tommy: In lots of ways. It'd take too long to type them all.
Newt: That sounds like a cop out.
Tommy: It's really not.
Newt: Whatever you say, Tommy.
Tommy: Trust me. There's nobody like you.
Newt: It's because i'm British, isn't it?
Tommy: Maybe.
Newt: Prick.
Tommy: It's that and everything else. It's hard to explain.
Newt: I think i know what you mean. My sister said it sounds like the kind of friendship that lasts a lifetime, but she's a bit of a romantic.
Tommy: Oh? Maybe she's right. Having you stick around forever would be entertaining. As long as you don't lose the accent.
Newt ignored the flutter of butterflies. And the thought that Thomas wanted him to stick around forever. It was difficult.
Newt: Ha bloody ha. I wouldn't put too much stock in anything Sonya says. She also said it sounds like Soulmates, so she's not exactly reliable.
Bloody hell. The dark was making him brave. He shouldn't have said that. He was lying right next to Thomas and he really should have known better. Talk about cringe. He was going to guess at this rate, Newt was going to give himself away and then what? Thomas's reply was long in coming. So long Newt almost had time to gather the courage to look at him.
Tommy: Well. If only she was.
Newt froze.
No way did Thomas send him what he thought he'd sent him. His brain stalled, his breathing difficult as his heart beat erratically in his chest. He couldn't think of a reply. He couldn't understand Thomas's words. What was he saying? Was he- Newt didn't want to analyse, knew what it'd do to his heart. He knew it wouldn't do any good.
After a long moment like that he heard Thomas shifting. When he was still again and Newt was brave enough he looked over. Thomas had rolled onto his side, presumably to sleep. His back faced Newt and there was barely a foot or so between them. He felt it rising, that familiar and dreadfully strong affection. He knew it was love. He didn't want to acknowledge that, but it didn't change the truth.
Tommy: If we were in a parallel universe i'd want to be in one where we could choose the name on our wrists.
Oh God Tommy, if only.
Tommy: I'd choose yours.