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

Chapter 11

and I want you here with me, Tommy

Where are you

god I drank a lot. Am I even making any sense? Ignore me lol

But if you were here you wouldn't have to ignore me. I wouldn't let you

anyway. It's so nice here. I grew up sitting in this garden, playing in this garden. It's where I had my first kiss, y'knwo

*y'know

It was clumsy and a bit awkward, but nice

not as nice as ours tho

......oh bloody hell

fuck

PLEASE forget i said that

please Tommy,

please

I have no filter right now

I didnt mean anything by that

I just meant, I guess, that -

oh I dunno

I didn't hate it, kissing you

like it doesnt have to mean anything. it doesn't mean anything, you know that

not with our pact n all

im going to shut the fuck up now

please delete everything ive ever sent you

anyway

dad's turning in, and sonya just got a phone call from harriet, so I guess im going to go up to my room

Thomas saw the typing bubble disappear for a minute, and reread through the spam Newt had just sent. Much as he hated to admit it, he agreed with him, the world felt more right when Newt was around. It was nice to know his best friend felt the same. He opted for completely ignoring what he'd said about the kiss - his stomach tied itself in complicated knots when he thought about it too much. He wasn't sure what he felt when he recalled kissing Newt. It had almost been over too quickly for him to think much of it at all, and all he'd been thinking of anyway was comforting him. He had meant to kiss his cheek or forehead instead, surely, but had missed terribly and now they were in a situation Thomas really, really didn't want to think about. They had their pact to uphold - no matter what. Right?

Before Newt could continue to text him, Thomas called him while stretching to lie flat on the couch. He picked up on the first ring.

"I told you to delete my texts, 'n' here you are calling me." Newt said when he picked up. His accent was thick and heavy, words running together. He had enough experience with drunk Newt to be able to parse out his words.

"I had to make sure you made it up the stairs to your room alright." Thomas replied, chuckling.

"Y'know, it's usually a boyfriend's job to make sure I got home safe."

"As your best friend, I also reserve that position."

"True that. Then you'll be glad to hear I made it safely to my bed." Newt declared proudly, and a little too loud for the quiet of their respective spaces. "But there's something missing." Newt's voice turned plaintive, "You. We always share the bed, but you're not here." He sounded genuinely upset at this, as if he were coming to the realization all over again that he was thousands of miles away. He must have drunk quite a bit to be so free with his words, not that Thomas was complaining.