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

Chapter 6

A/N: Not sure how this chapter got as long as it did, but I hope you enjoy!!
Summary: Beach trips, starring Thomas' impulsivity and need to run away.

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Thomas found out later that evening that his husband was doing even worse than him, stress-wise; and that was never good. If he knew anything about Newt when he was stressed, it was that it led to a lot of passive aggressive comments under the breath until one of them snapped and they had it out. As it turned out, tonight was one such evening.

"I just don't know why you can't do the bloody dishes!" Newt gestured angrily to the pile of dishes piling up next to the sink as he stood in front of the open and empty dishwasher.

"Because it was broken, and we've been kind of occupied with your green card process and I haven't wanted to- "

"Right, you haven't wanted to." Newt cut him off. "We fixed the broken pipe last fucking week, the dishwasher works just fine now! I hate coming home to see all these dirty dishes that would take five minutes to load, and I also have to cook dinner because that's what we agreed to. I'd cook, you'd tidy, right?"

"Yeah, but it's been two days, Newt! I just got home and I'm tired, and I'm stressed as hell over the results of the interview and I just - " Thomas took a breath, then sighed. "Look. I'll do them now, and you can make dinner and I'll clean up after that, too, and we can just forget about it?"

"We've been living together a long time, Tommy. I know this conversation won't end here." Newt leveled a look at him, annoyance still written on his face. "But fine, whatever. It's no excuse but we're both tense right now, so of course we're fighting about the dishes."

Thomas thought he could see the ghost of a grin cross Newt's lips and relaxed incrementally knowing the worst was over. Not that it had been serious, just an annoying argument that tended to crop up now and again, but he always hated when it did. He let out a wary chuckle, "Yeah, what else would we fight about, right?"

"Right," Newt rolled his eyes, a small grin finally appearing and his stance relaxing.

Thomas moved to begin loading the dishwasher, brushing past Newt as he did so. Newt caught his hand in his own and he stopped, looking over at him. "What?" He asked, confused.

Newt shook his head, "Nothing, just. . .I'm worried. Really bloody worried. It'll be okay, right?"

Thomas met Newt's gaze, confused for a moment about why Newt would be worried about the dishes. Realization dawned a moment later and he nodded, "It'll be okay." It wasn't often Newt asked for reassurance so plainly – so for him to outright ask revealed how anxious he truly was about his application going through. "Newt," Thomas laid his hand over his best friend's and squeezed lightly, giving him as reassuring a smile as he could. "There's no reason for them to distrust us, and it would be really hard for them to figure out we're lying. We've done the best we can, and it'll be okay. I promise."

"That's not something you can promise, Tommy." Newt shot him a look, "But thank you."

"I'm worried too, but we gotta have hope."

"Not my strongest suit." Newt scoffed.

Thomas nudged him, chuckling, "Then I'll have enough for the both of us."

"I knew there was a reason I married you."

"What, you mean you didn't marry me for all of this?" Thomas gestured up and down himself and winked, and Newt broke into laughter, shoving him lightly away.