No Better Version of Me Than When I'm With You

Chapter 5

Summary: The green card interview!

~~~~~~

The quiet that descended over the house when Newt left to go see Nick was becoming somewhat familiar by now, Thomas realized as the door shut behind him. It also, unfortunately, left him with nothing else to do besides sit and think about the upcoming interview. If anything, he was more worried than Newt. What if he got too many questions wrong and they didn't give Newt his green card? All because of the mistakes he made? He knew they'd gone over them again and again and again, but the worry still nagged at him.

His mom's advice floated into his thoughts, "worrying only means you suffer twice." He knew she was right, and attempted to shake off his preoccupation with the interview and joined the party chat on his PlayStation where he found Minho, Gally, Frypan, and Brenda all talking over each other in the midst of an intense game of Overwatch.

"Well look who decided to join us!" Minho greeted jovially.

"'Sup, greenie." Gally welcomed in his usual fashion, "Wanna join us next round?"

"Hey guys," Thomas replied as Frypan and Brenda greeted him too. "Love to. And – Gally, when're you gonna quit calling me Greenie? I'm actually pretty damn good at this game now." Sure, he may not have been playing quite as long as Gally and Minho had – they got into the game quite a while before he ever did, and it was only with their incessant nagging did he join. But now he loved it, and it was one of his favorite ways to spend an evening with his friends.

"Greenie suits you, and you're nowhere as good as me and Min." Gally replied.

"Fuck yeah, we kill at this game." Agreed Minho.

"Oh yes, who could ever beat the gallant Gally and magnificent Minho at Overwatch?" Brenda interjected sarcastically, collapsing into laughter while Minho spluttered something unintelligible. Thomas' headphones were a cacophony of laughter until someone took a deep breath in and they all followed suit, laughter dying down to breathless chuckles.

"So where's your other half, Thomas?" Brenda asked after a minute, as if she just realized who was missing from their group; and he could hear the teasing grin in her voice.

"Out with Nick, didn't want to join this disaster of a game and I can't say I blame him." Thomas chuckled.

"Hey!" A chorus of voices protested.

"Speaking of Newt, that garden you guys did in the backyard looks great!" Frypan said, mentioning the picture Newt had sent to their group chat earlier that day, ever the one to redirect possible conflicts. "You're gonna have to share, I'm jealous."

"We only just planted it, Fry." Thomas replied, "But if I can get Newt to give up any of his precious vegetables, I'll be glad to share."

"Good luck with that." Minho laughed, and everyone else joined in.

Conversation continued and Thomas felt lighter with every passing minute he spent with his friends. His worry lessened as they played round after round, not noticing the time slipping by until he heard keys rattling in the door and then being tossed into the dish just inside. Newt was home already? A glance at the clock told him it was just past ten thirty.

"Home so soon?" Thomas greeted when Newt sat down beside him on the couch, sliding his headphones off just as he heard someone yell out a hello to Newt.

"Didn't want to be out too late with what we have going on tomorrow." Newt replied with a shrug.

"Good dinner date?" Thomas asked, furtively giving him a once-over. He looked less polished than when he'd left, hair mussed, shirt half-tucked in.