"He still hasn't called?" Thomas asked as he blew air into his hand. It was cold on the street where he was standing and of course he was stupid enough not to bring warmer clothes. His hand that was clutching his phone to his ear was freezing and his teeth were starting to chatter.
"I'm gonna be honest with you Tom my friend, when Newt doesn't want to be found he won't be," Minho huffed.
"You can't just give up! I haven't heard from him in a week."
"I'm not giving up dude!" Minho snapped. "Listen here, I like you alot, but Newt is my ride or die and he'll always come first to me. We're digging up parts of his past that I don't even know how he survived through once and forcing him to relive it. It doesn't really seem fair that you won't let him blow off some steam."
"I'm just worried," Thomas muttered as his cheeks flushed red. "I didn't mean it like that."
Minho let out a long breath. "I know, just he does this sometimes. He'll be back soon."
"You promise?"
"Yeah. This isn't my first time at the rodeo of Newt's unpredictable actions. He's fine, fucker can't die, but he needs his space okay? Looking for him is just going to make it worse, trust me on that."
"If you hear from him can you tell him to just let me know if he's alright."
"Yeah I can do that. Just focus on something else for a bit, I'll keep digging around to see what I can find on WICKED but knowing Newt he's probably hanging up their heads like christmas ornaments right now."
"He doesn't kill people anymore."
"He does when it comes to the people who tortured him for years. Listen Tom, Newt isn't like you and he'd never be. He may not be a steller hero but he's gotta fight with his demons in his own way. Just try and understand."
"Yeah," Thomas huffed out. "I'm trying."
Minho cleared his throat. "You with Teresa right now?"
"Uh no, why?"
Minho hummed. "Just wonderin', was gonna ask her to hangout or something, easier if she wasn't with you."
"Ew."
"Shut up," Minho laughed. "She's sweet, also still getting over her trauma of being kidnapped, we just sit and do homework in the apartment so she feels safe or whatever...well she does homework and I play video games but same difference."
"Oh that's actually...nice."
"Yeah well I'm not always a dick...I'll catch you later, feel free to swing by whenever."
"Was that a really bad spiderman pun?"
"YESSIR!" Minho whopped into the phone before he hung up.
Thomas sighed and put his phone back in his pocket. He hadn't heard from Newt for a week after their stupid fight, well maybe it wasn't stupid but it sure felt that way now. He just missed Newt.
Thomas pulled out his phone again and opened his messages with Newt.
Thomas: hey im really sorry can you come back so we can talk
Thomas: newt come on, it's been 3 days how long are you going to ignore me for
Thomas: minho says you haven't even been home yet ???? where are you
Thomas: listen im really sorry and I miss you alot okay?
Thomas: newt please can we just talk...
Thomas pursed his lips as he typed out another message.
Thomas: i'll be on the roof tonight...pls meet me there
Thomas huffed as he started on his way home. He ducked into the nearest ally and threw his mask on over his face. Smiling softly, he shot up the skylines, making sure to tighten his backpack straps.
There was something so freeing about swinging across the skylines, his legs soaring across the rooftops. Everything looked so small from up there, the people became nothing but smudges against the blank pavement and the business of the city droned out to the rush of the wind. Being up there made Thomas realize just how small he was, how the things he thought mattered so much were so miniscule against the huge city that he lived in. Swinging against the skylines was Thomas' favorite thing to do. He loved the fresh air surrounding him, the way he was parallel to the birds and he adored the way that he was just so free. It always made the weight on his chest lift and his mind clear.
When he landed on his fire escape he tugged the mask off and climbed into the window. He planned to head out to meet Newt when it got dark, when they usually patrolled together. That meant he had a few hours to kill and he'd be damned if he was going to start his homework anytime soon.
He sighed and laid down on his back. He wanted more than anything for Newt to just talk to him. He didn't feel like it was entirely his fault, so what if he was trying to stop Newt from murdering people Didn't that make him a good person?
Thomas rolled onto his side and stared at the wall. Maybe Thomas was in the wrong here. He couldn't morally help Newt kill someone but he also wasn't thinking about how Newt probably felt. It woulda been a whole lot easier if Newt was actually there with him.
Thomas' phone buzzed and he scrambled to pull it out of his pocket.
Minho: he's at professor X's mansion. don't go there, they'll probably kill you, but he's fine. He's with colossus.
Thomas: colossus?????
Minho: just don't ask.
Thomas felt relief wash over his entire body like a wave. It grounded him to know that Newt was at least somewhere safe. If he texted Minho, he was fine. And maybe he'd come back soon.
Thomas hoped he'd come back soon
____
Thomas let his heels hit against the side of the building as he sat on the edge of the building he normally met Newt on before they hung out at his apartment. He had a bag of tacos to try and subconsciously seduce Newt into coming. He wasn't sure if he'd show up, but he's only really been sitting there for an hour. Thankfully it was a quiet night and nothing was really happening in the city. Thomas was free to sulk into his tacos.
Two hours had passed before a noise sounded behind Thomas that made him jump.
He immediately went into his defense mode, crouching on the ledge of the building as his eyes scanned the noise. His spider sense didn't pick up on anything which made his heart race. His spider sense picked up everything.
"Hello?" Thomas called out, cursing as his voice wavered.
"Hey baby boy," Newt said as he finally made himself visible.
Thomas instantly relaxed.
Newt had on a black hoodie and a black mask that only covered the part of his face below his eyes. Black cargo pants replaced his normal suit and he had on thick black boots, his katanas were still strapped to his back. It was undeniably Newt but he looked different.
"I didn't think you'd come," Thomas admitted as he sat back down.
Newt shrugged. "Kinda missed you."
"You look different."
Newt laughed at that. "Yeah had to borrow some stuff from dickwad...except he didn't see it as borrowing because I didn't ask."
"You were at Xaviers?"
"You know Xavier?" Newt asked as he cocked his head.
Thomas shook his head. "No, Minho told me where you were. Told me not to come after you."
"He's a smart man." Newt tugged on his hair before sitting down next to Thomas. "Guessing tacos are cold?"
"Yeah, I've only been up here for two hours," Thomas scoffed.
"In my defense you never gave me a time...plus I didn't know I was coming."
"You weren't gonna come?"
Newt shrugged. "You put a lot of things into perspective for my Tommy."
"Like?"
"I can't change when he's still alive, it isn't fair."
"I know," Thomas admitted softly. "Maybe it was unfair or me to ask."
"It wasn't." Newt looked at him seriously. "You're the way you are and I love you for it, but I'm never not going to be like this when Francis is still around. Every-time I close my eyes I see him, everytime I look in the mirror I think of him, every night he plagues my nightmares. He can't do this to other people, I won't let him. No one else deserves to feel like this."
"Minho kinda explained it to me," Thomas said as he pulled his knees to his chest. "I get it."
"I can't ask you to help me." Newt was staring off into the skyline with a blank look on his face. "You haven't killed anyone Tommy, I can't expose you to that."
"What? You're not doing this without me."
"Janson was enough."
"The car explosion killed Janso-"
"The explosion that I set off!" Newt snapped. "You're good Tommy, you're so good and sweet, don't let me ruin that."
"It's my choice."
"You think you can change my mind."
"What?"
"I know you, I know you think once we find him you can change my mind but he's a dead man. When I get my hands on him he's fucking dead."
"I'm not going to stop you."
Newt turned to look at him. "What?"
"I'm not going to stop you. I don't agree with it, but it's not my past, it's yours."
Newt tugged at his hair. "You sound like Colossus."
Thomas smiled softly. "Someone I should be jealous of?"
Newt snorted a laugh at that. "If you're jealous of 300 pounds of metal then maybe. He's a class A chrome dick, but he screws my head on right if I ever need to be put in my place. Has a hero complex like you, but could kill someone with his bare hands."
"I don't have a hero complex."
"You know what I meant."
Thomas nodded. "Yeah."
"I just don't know Tommy."
"No." Thomas looked at him with a hard frown.
"What?"
"You're not breaking up with me, we're not doing this again."
"How did you-"
"Because I know you like you know me."
"Okay," Newt said softly before hooking his arm around Thomas' waist. "You know I don't want to break up with you."
"Then stop trying to everytime something goes mildly wrong."
Newt nodded. "Alright."
"How about we make a compromise?"
"I'm listening."
"When we find Francis, together, right before you kill him, debate it for at least a second."
"That's all it'd take to keep you happy?"
"I know you have good morals, it'd just be proof to me."
"I can do that."
"Yeah?"
"Anything for you."
"Sap."
"Yessir."
Thomas smiled and tugged up the edge of his mask. "Now please kiss me I've been dying here and you kinda look sexy in your all black suit."
Newt laughed at that but let his palm slide against the side of Thomas' face. He pressed a stupid kiss to his nose before hesitantly slotting their lips together. Thomas smiled against his lips and let his other hand press against Newt's chest because he was there.
Newt was back and everything was okay.
_____
"So you just...stayed there?" Thomas asked as he pulled the blanket up under his chin.
"Yeah for a little while. I was looking for Francis at first, but I just needed to blow off some steam," Newt said as he tugged Thomas closer to him. It was Newt's idea to have a sleepover and Thomas wasn't too opposed to being held while he slept.
"You didn't find anything?"
"Not anything I didn't already know."
"You hurt anyone?" Thomas asked softly.
"Kinda but no killing I swear."
"Okay."
"I used to go to X's a lot when I didn't have anywhere else to go, it's kinda nice, get to hangout with other mutants."
"Yeah? He let's them stay there?"
"It's a school baby boy, teaches them how to use their powers, it's kinda wholesome actually maybe if X had some hair and was less ugly it'd be more welcoming but it's good for those kids, they feel like they have nowhere to go. He gives them a safe place to stay."
"It sounds nice," Thomas said as he slotted himself against Newt's side. He hummed contently and locked his arm around his waist. "I missed you."
"I was only gone for over a week."
"Doesn't matter, I didn't have anyone to hug me."
Newt shook his head. "They should start calling you leech man with how clingy you are."
"That was your worst joke yet."
"I got a lot more bad ones coming baby, don't you worry."
Thomas just huffed, too tired to think of something to say back.
"Hey hows Teresa doing by the way?" Newt asked as he kissed the top of Thomas' head.
"She's okay I think, been hanging out with Minho a lot."
"He's a good body guard," Newt pointed out.
"She said it makes her feel safe, being with him I mean."
"That's kinda sweet."
"Yeah he lets her do homework with him."
Newt snorted out a laugh. "He's a simp! I always knew he'd simp."
"You think he likes her?"
"Come on Tommy, you're smarter than that pretty boy."
"How old even is Minho?"
Newt laughed hard at that. "He's only 20."
"Just making sure!"
"Minho's not like that, he really isn't a dick, he just jokes around a lot."
"I don't like he's a dick."
"Just trying to give you peace of mind."
Thomas let his eyes close as Newt locked his hold on him. Cuddling was Thomas' favorite thing in the entire world, he decided at that moment.
"Can I tell you something Tommy?"
"Yeah."
"You wanna make me be a better person and I'm not just saying that because of the whole stupid francis thing, you actually make me want to be better and I'm trying. I'm trying really hard."
Thomas opened his eyes and lifted his head up a bit. "I know you're trying."
"As long as you know," Newt said softly. "I want to make sure that you know."
"Where's this coming from now?"
"I don't know...crippling self doubt?"
"Well stop it, we're making up from a fight, not getting into another one," Thomas said as he rested his head back down. "It's too late for this anyways."
"It's not gonna go away," Newt said softly.
"What isn't."
"This side of me, the overwhelming desire to hurt everyone who hurt me ten times worse."
"I don't expect it to go away," Thomas answered honestly. "I just ask that you consider there are ways other than killing."
"I'm trying for you," Newt said softly as he brought Thomas' hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.
"You think I'm gonna leave you or something?" Thomas asked. "Seriously where is this coming from."
Newt sighed and rolled onto his back, pulling totally away from Thomas. "I have a lead on Francis."
"Okay."
"And I got a new gun to blow his fucking head off."
Thomas was quiet, knowing that Newt had more to say.
"I met this kid at X's mansion...he escaped from Francis' weapon X I guess. He reminded me so much of Minho Tommy. He couldn't have been older than 15 years old. He looked like shit, half his skin was burnt, I'm not even kidding. He looked awful but he was still smiling and cracking jokes. I got him some cigarettes because that's what he wanted, he took one puff and started sobbing in my arms, told me everything they did to him. I'm gonna fucking kill Francis. He won't ever stop Tommy, never. He's gonna keep going and going til every kid feels nothing. Until he has his perfect weapons."
It finally dawned on Thomas. "Oh my god Newt, do you feel responsible?"
Newt was quiet for so long Thomas almost thought he'd fallen asleep.
"Yeah, I do Tommy."
"Why?! This is in no way your fault!"
"Every time I don't cover up my loose ends someone dies. Not killing Francis earlier was the worst mistake I'd ever made. Fuckin Colossus talked me out of it."
"What he did wasn't your fault."
"You don't ever feel bad if you didn't stop something?"
"Yeah," Thomas admitted softly, "My parents died and my uncle...h-he died at the hands of someone I didn't stop."
"Maybe we aren't so different after all," Newt said as he reached back out for Thomas.
"We blame ourselves for things that aren't our fault?"
"Right on that."
"I did think about killing him," Thomas said. "I wanted to watch the life run out of his eyes like he did to my Uncle Ben."
"But you didn't."
"I couldn't find him."
"But if you did?"
"I probably would have killed him. I-I don't think I could have stopped myself."
"Wanting revenge doesn't make us bad people."
Thomas was about to reply when his phone rang. He made a face and rolled over to grab it. People rarely called him, especially at one in the morning.
"Hello?"
"TOM TOM WHERE ARE YOU!" Teresa screamed into the receiver.
"Woah woah what's going on?" Thomas asked as he sat straight up in bed.
"IT'S MINHO H-HE..."
"Where the fuck are you? I thought you were in the apartment?" Thomas asked as he started getting out of bed.
"W-we went for a w-walk, just to get food I don't know!"
"What's going on Tommy?" Newt asked as he started getting out of bed and pulling a hoodie over his head.
"Newt's here T I'm gonna put him on speaker okay?"
"Please Tom I need you to come-"
Thomas clicked the line onto the speaker option, cringing slightly as Teresa's panicked voice came through the speaker.
"What's happening Teresa?" Newt asked as he put his hand on Thomas' back for much needed support.
"I-I'm a-at 50th street can you come here now please?? I-I think the cops are coming."
"Why the hell are the cops on you."
"I think it's wicked," Teresa burst out into tears then.
"WICKED is near you Teresa what?" Thomas asked, desperately trying to pull some information out of the girl as Newt tugged his mask on.
"T-they shot Minho."
___
hate me