▸ spirited away.

"I'm going, and that's final."

"Thomas, I know he was your friend, I miss him too, but-"

"Stop it.. stop trying to change my mind. I need to go, Minho."

"Fine."

The two boys had been bickering about the same subject for about 10 full minutes now. It had been 3 weeks since the... incident, with Newt. Thomas had been aching to go back to the exact same spot in the streets of Denver, where he lost his bestest friend in the whole wide world. "We're going out, don't go leaving us while we're gone, good that?" This was Minho, speaking in a less instructive tone. Thomas didn't say anything to anyone, he didn't need to, his mind was clouded by his thoughts and memories. The two walked out of sight, entered the beaten up vehicle, then left.

The drive was surprisingly quiet, Minho behind the wheel. Thomas had his temple pressed against the cold glass of the window, his eyes seeming lifeless. Dull. Dead, even. It was the thought of Newt that made him that way, made him wish that he was dead too. He wondered if there was even a point to going back, to remembering. Everything would be fine again if he just... "Oi, earth to Thomas! Anyone in there?" he blinked his eyes a few times before noticing Minho's hands waving in front of his face. "Hm? Sorry. I was just thinking." "Well quit thinking for now, we're here." Minho's voice sounded much different than usual, strained and hesitant, matching his body language exactly. Thomas frowned and nodded, forcing himself to sit up properly, undo his seat belt, then exit the car. Minho didn't move though, which was probably a good thing. Thomas slowly made his way to the exact spot of where it happened, dragging his feet. A deep frown settled on his face almost naturally as he saw a bunch of tattered clothing in the place where Newt's body once lay 3 weeks ago. Tears threatened to escape from the corners of his eyes, but he manages to hold them back somehow, the blood draining from his face once more. It was like Deja Vu.

"Thomas." he heard in a soft tone, instantly whipping his head around, but nothing was there. A haze of thick white fog had formed overtime, causing Minho and the vehicle he was sitting in to disappear, as if they were never there in the first place. Thinking he was just paranoid, he shook it off and wiped a single tear that sneaked past his eyelid away. That's when he heard it again. "Tommy..." It was like a whisper, one that had a somewhat permanent echo to it. Tommy. That's what caught his attention more than the voice itself that said it. Newt was the only one that called him Tommy... but how was that possible? he died in Thomas' arms, there was no way he was alive. "I'm here. I'm right here. Can't you see me..?" he heard afterwards, by now he was completely freaked out and confused. He spun his body around again, this time completely freezing up and widening his eyes. It was him. It was really him. "Newt...?" he spoke barely above a whisper, too much in shock to talk at a normal level. "It's about bloody time, I've been standing here for about 5 minutes." The slightly transparent boy spoke, his English accent slipping through his pale lips as it did before; when he was alive. Thomas was overjoyed - still freaked out - but overjoyed. "Newt!" he called out, a wide smile on his face, making his tears seem like tears of joy. He ran towards the other boy with his arms outstretched; Newt standing still but doing the same arm movements. All he wanted was to feel newt in his arms again, he missed him so much. He reached out and leaned forward for a hug, felt cold air fill his body, then felt the hard pavement against his chest and face. He had fallen right through Newt, his arms wrapped around himself as he winced softly, forcing himself to stand back up and just stare into the foggy distance; scrape marks on his cheeks and jaw. "I love you." he spoke abruptly yet quietly, a deep frown on his face as he said so.

With a slight look of surprise on his face, Newt whipped his head around to look at the back of Thomas' head, the surprised expression on his face gradually turning into a frown as well. He turned his body completely now and walked behind Thomas, wrapping his arms around him from behind and resting his head on the back of his shoulder. Thomas of course couldn't feel it, but he sensed Newt's presence. He let his heavy eyelids close, triggering a tear to slide down his already stained and dirty cheeks without him even giving it permission to. "Thomas, I have to go..." he whispered, letting go and walking to the front of the other boy to see his face, which now had its eyes open and teared up. "Already..? I just got you back.."

"If I feel any shuck tears coming, I'll haunt you."

"Thanks."

The conversation was just like the ones they use to have, it was refreshing for Thomas. "Tommy?" he spoke again, causing Thomas' attention to strengthen once more.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of Minho for me.."

"I will... take care of Chuck for me... We're the closest he's got to family. Good that?"

Newt smiled at Thomas' Glader slang use, laughed a little too. "You still sound bloody stupid when you talk like us." Thomas actually smiled a little at that, but it disappeared moments - more like seconds - afterwards. So did Newt's. With a small nod, Newt turned his back to Thomas and stared at the strong haze of fog, slowly stepping towards it. He stopped just before he entered it though, turning his head only to look back at Thomas. "Don't worry, Tommy. I'll always be here. Always. You've got a place in my heart, and I've got a place in yours. Hold on to that." he said lastly, smiling as he turned back to the fog and walked again, disappearing into the fog completely after a few more steps, though something told Thomas that he didn't end up walking to where Minho was, he ended up walking to where his friends were; Chuck, Alby, Winston, Teresa, the lot. "I will.." he brought his hand up to his heart, pushing his palm against his chest slightly. "I'll never forget you, Newt... never." and with that, the surrounding gaze swallowed him whole, leaving him to stand in the mist with Newt by his side. Always.