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

Chapter 7

"Jesus." Brenda said, peering outside. The garden was no more than a large muddy puddle, the sprouts that had just begun to bloom taking hits the hardest. "But why did I need to panic buy produce, Thomas? You're not explaining yourself very well here."

"Oh. Yeah, sorry." He turned to her and leaned against the wall. "Newt's at therapy today."

"Right."

"It usually takes kind of a toll on him afterwards, like, emotionally. I'm afraid if he comes home to see the garden wrecked like this and nothing to show for it, it's going to devastate him. Hence -" Thomas gestured vaguely to the kitchen, and the strainer full of tomatoes and a zucchini, "- me asking you to buy those. Thought that at least if he comes home and sees I managed to snag a couple things, it'll soften the blow."

"But you didn't." Brenda said flatly, "Manage to snag a couple things, that is. I got them for you. You'd just be lying to him."

"I'm just trying to help." Thomas heard the plaintive note enter his voice, "I can't bear to let this crush him, you know?"

"He can handle it. Newt's a big boy."

"I know." He rolled his eyes, "I'll tell him eventually, I promise. But for now, I just want to let him think we saved something from the garden."

Brenda looked at him for a moment, then sighed and shook her head, a small grin tugging the corners of her lips, "You're somethin' else, Thomas, you know that? Pretty sure this is gonna bite you in the ass later, but I don't blame you for wanting to help."

"Thanks, Bren. I really appreciate it."

"You owe me."

"I'll cover your next coffee run with Fry."

"That man and his caffeine." Brenda chuckled.

"World's steadiest relationship."

Brenda laughed and shook her head; Thomas grinned, the tight band of worry around his chest loosening. Newt would be upset at the loss of the garden, but he sincerely believed that him knowing that he'd managed to save a few things from it would help it hurt less. He would tell him the truth eventually, he would; just not right away.

"Alright, I should go; head home 'fore the rain starts flooding the damn streets." Brenda said a minute later, glancing out the back door again to the rain pounding the ground.

"Text me when you get home?"

"You got it." She flashed him a grin and strode towards the front door. Thomas trailed behind her, waving as she pulled out of the drive.

Not twenty minutes later, Newt was pulling into the driveway. Thomas looked up as his best friend walked in, phone to his ear, raincoat dripping. "Yes, I drove safe, love. I told you I would, right?" A pause. "I know, I know. Text when you get home too, okay? Alright, talk to you later." He hung up and pushed his phone into his pocket, shedding his coat and shoes and keys by the front door before walking into the living room.

"That was Nick, I take it?"

"Yeah, he called on my way home to see how I'm doing after therapy." Newt replied, sinking onto the couch beside him. "And to make sure I got home alright - this rain is bloody insane."

Something in Thomas' stomach soured at his mention of Nick getting to talk to Newt directly after his session. Nick getting to be the one to check in. He shoved it away. "Yeah. . .about that. I have to show you something."

A wrinkle appeared between Newt's brows, "Something wrong?"

"Uh, let me just show you." He stood and Newt followed. Just as he had done with Brenda, he gestured out the back door. Newt's expression went from vaguely confused to troubled, to downright despairing in the span of a few seconds.

"It's. . .flooded." Newt said quietly. "Like it was never even there." He turned to look at him, his shoulders sagging in defeat, "Fuck this rain. We didn't even get to harvest the lettuce or anything."

"Not true, actually." Thomas held up a finger. "I got home early today, before it really started to pour, and got a couple things."

"Really?" His voice upticked in hope.

"Yeah. Some more of the cherry tomatoes, and that zucchini." Thomas tugged on Newt's wrist, leading him towards the kitchen. He brandished the strainer, hoping against hope he wouldn't question his story. A seed of guilt planted itself in his chest as he saw Newt's face rise in gratitude, but he ignored it.

"You went out in the rain and picked these? For me? Tommy. . ." Newt's smile was wide, and it was exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for. What he hadn't expected was for Newt to walk around the counter and wrap his arms around him, tucking his face into the nook between his shoulder and neck. Thomas nearly dropped the strainer before he managed to set it down, and his pulse jumped when he heard Newt speak again softly. "Thank you for doing that. Today was hard, and seeing the garden destroyed. . .I know we can just replant, but -" Newt lifted his head to look at him, arms still tight around his torso, "The fact you went out and saved some of it for me means a lot, thank you."

"You're welcome." Thomas managed a small smile, heart hammering guiltily in his chest. "I just wanted to make it less hard on you, I guess."

"Well, you succeeded."

"Good." Thomas' next smile was more genuine as he found himself relaxing. It was impossible not to, with the way his best friend held him so surely as they had hundreds of times before. He shoved away the guilt that rose, ignoring it. "You want to make a salad or something out of these, then? Or should we just order takeout tonight?"

"Can't be arsed to cook tonight, honestly." Newt admitted, his glowing smile fading into something less energetic. "Burritos sound good though."

"Burritos it is."

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A/N: The song Thomas sang to was Fine Apple by Nic D. This also seems the appropriate time to remind you that there's a playlist built for this fic! You can find it on Spotify here if you're interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/290S8A1zYiVZXrf9ecTDWC?si=7e83c0079f3141d5