Chapter Twenty Five

"I gotta go if I want time to change." Teresa sighed eventually before shooting Thomas a sly look. "As much as I'd rather stay and watch the lovebirds dance."

Newt, who had been distractedly watching the sky peek between the fingers of one raised arm, let it fall, landing purely by accident on her shoulder.

"Woops." he smiled. "Sorry, Tee."

She snorted as she sat up to rub grass from her hair and her top. When he smiled sweetly she punched his shoulder.

"Sure you are."

Aris chuckled softly before getting to his feet and offering her his hand.

"I should get going too. Lana gets anxious if I'm late. Even when mom doesn't tell her I'm late."

Newt shot him a grin and reached out to tickle the back of Teresa's knee as she stood beside him, laughing as she shrieked and danced out of reach.

"Shuck-face." she muttered when she'd dislodged the caught breath, rolling her eyes when he just stuck out his tongue.

Newt watched them go, lying back down and craning his neck around. Thomas had lain down beside him almost an hour ago, one earphone in the ear closest to Newt and the other pushed into the blonde's ear without even asking.

Some of Thomas's choir pieces were playing on a looped playlist and Thomas was switching between humming along and doodling distractedly on the english homework he'd brought with him, leaning the jotter lazily against his raised knees and using his rucksack as a pillow. Newt didn't say anything, even though words instantly sprung to his lips. Instead he returned his eyes to the blue expanse above them and allowed his mind to wander as he listened to Kate Winslet sing.

"I love that song." Thomas murmured eventually, sounding almost drowsy as he reached for the iPod between them and skipped back to hear it again.

The contentment in his low voice was such a pleasant sound that it took Newt a moment to remember that he was supposed to answer when people spoke to him.

"Hmm, yeah. It's sorta eerie too. Like she's singin' about it but doesn't know whether she's sad or not."

Thomas hummed in agreement, and when Newt turned a little to see him the brunette's eyes were closed, his face relaxed and an almost-smile on his mouth. Newt looked at him, a much too common habit, feeling that warm and familiar sweet pulse in his chest. The sunlight was gentle on Thomas's skin and Newt put the twinge of guilt on hold as he marvelled at the curve of his cheek, at the delicate dusting of freckles that nestled there.

"I can feel you looking." Thomas whispered, the words almost lost in the spring afternoon.

Newt felt himself blushing even as he grinned.

"Guilty." he murmured back, feeling a little silly to be caught.

A few months ago he'd have been unable to meet his friend's eye. Hell, a few months ago he'd never have admitted to it, let alone have felt even remotely okay that Thomas knew he… Well. He swallowed as he was again reminded of how much he'd changed since those first weeks at The Glade. His final year of school. It was almost funny to think about how adamantly he'd argued against their move. How vehemently he had promised his parents that he had the worst year ever ahead of him. How the injustice of it all had rained upon him.

It was almost funny, and he felt the silent chuckle perching, ready to fly. He closed the cage door on it lest it ruin the heady, lazy feeling that had settle comfortably over them both.

Those fears and that disgruntled, uprooted feeling felt a lot longer than just a few months ago. But as Thomas opened his eyes halfway to look at Newt from under dusky lashes, Newt didn't feel anything like he had then. His face felt warm, and his hands were a little trembly, but his heart felt warm.

"Subtle." Thomas replied quietly, and Newt rolled his eyes.

"Piss off."

Thomas chuckled and squeezed Newt's hand, his amber eyes flashing open properly to greet Newt's gaze. Newt looked back, feeling the tug-and pull between them and trying not to care. Their faces were so close, so much closer than was generally acceptable of friends. It was comfortable for them though, just as their sleepovers and the handful of times Thomas had gone to school in one of Newt's shirts. Newt loved him. He couldn't have Thomas, but damn it if he couldn't bloody enjoy looking at him and feeling that want.

"Remind me why we're not, you know, totally together?" Thomas teased, a humorous glint in his eyes.

"Because you're a maverick who's a danger to my blessed virtue." Newt replied sweetly with a smirk.

Thomas feigned insult.

"Hey, hold on a minute buddy. I'm a maverick? You're the one gazing at me while I sleep. Stalker."

Newt knocked his shoulder against the brunette's.

"You're the one lettin' people believe we're a couple." Newt laughed playfully, feeling the true weight of the accusation but choosing to ignore it.

Thomas shrugged and looked back up at the sky with a gentle grin.

"Well, it's not my fault if they make assumptions about us."

Newt rolled his eyes and snorted.

"I won't even validate ya with a response."

"Bitch.

"Tosspot."

"Totally not a word."

"Definitely a bloody word. Autocorrect even knows it. So there."

"Whatever. You still suck."

Newt made a derisive sound, turning back to the sky to hide his grin.