Chapter Text
Day 14
Newt and Thomas woke up almost simultaneously, though mostly because a loud crash erupted from somewhere downstairs.
Newt's eyes flew open as he sat up as much as Thomas's weight would let him.
When they heard somebody shushing downstairs, they both laid back down.
"Last day", Thomas mumbled.
"Yup."
"People are already starting to pack. Apparently."
"Yup."
They were quiet for a while.
"We should get up, too", Newt said.
So they did.
They got dressed and headed downstairs where a few suitcases were already lined up against one side of the hallway. A few people sat around the dining table while others lounged in the living room.
When they entered the kitchen, it was empty. They made themselves breakfast and ate seated on the counters.
"I can't believe we're leaving this place", Thomas said between bites.
"I can't believe it's only been two weeks", Newt responded.
"I know, right?" Thomas replied right before he fell into a coughing fit. "Crumb in my throat", he croaked.
Newt chuckled. "I guess not too much has changed after all."
They stacked the dishes in the sink and went back upstairs to pack. They brushed their teeth before they gathered all their toiletries and threw them into their duffel bags.
Next came their Christmas gifts, wallets, keys and cellphones.
After they'd zipped up their bags, they scanned the room and checked for anything they might've forgotten.
They'd already made it halfway down the stairs when Thomas froze. "CHARGER!"
Newt watched as he dashed back to their room and returned with his cellphone charger.
Once everything was stashed in the trunk of Thomas's car, they headed back inside and toed off their shoes.
They spotted Thomas's parents in the living room and flopped down in their armchair as per usual.
"All packed?" Jody asked.
"Yup", Thomas replied.
"When are you heading out?"
Thomas shot Newt a questioning look but was only met with a shrug. "Sometime after lunch, I think".
"Alright but don't forget to say goodbye", Mark replied.
"Promise", Newt said. "Oh, and we still have to call Rachel before we visit Tabby."
"Yeah! Right!" Thomas almost threw his boyfriend off his lap in his hurry to get his cellphone out of his pocket. After a few seconds of furious typing and an annoying text alert noise, Thomas pocketed it again. "All done", he announced. "She's expecting us somewhere around two-thirty."
Thomas and Newt helped with lunch, but that day, they didn't have to make as much. About ten people had already left after breakfast which had been preceded by a lot of hugs and kisses and uncomfortable cheek-squeezing. Two of those people, Newt could've sworn he'd never seen before.
They sat around the dinner table and ate between happy chatter.
And after they'd washed the dishes, the others walked off to pack their things.
"Do we have to strip the bed or something?" Newt asked as he dried the plate Thomas had just handed him.
"Nah, the house keeper has somebody come over for that."
"Alright then. So I guess ... we're all ready to leave."
"Yeah..." Thomas sounded a little sad so Newt bumped their shoulders together.
"No pouty-faces today, Tommy. We're gonna have a good time! We'll visit the kitty, get back to college and have dinner without dozens of people watching us."
"It's just", Thomas started. "This place has done so much for us. We wouldn't be together if it weren't for all this."
"I know and I am kinda grateful but I'm also happy to get out of here, not gonna lie." Newt pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's cheek. "And hey! You still got me."
Thomas smiled. "Yeah, you're right. And I'll drag you back here at the end of the year again, anyway."
Newt rolled his eyes and groaned. "Please shut up right now."
After the dishes were done, they helped a few people with carrying their luggage and loading their cars before they said their own goodbyes.
Ingeborg was the first to trap Newt in a bone-crushing hug that knocked the breath out of him.
"Oh, my handsome boy, I'm going to miss you!" she cooed. "You take good care of my Tom." She let go after about half a minute but only after Newt had managed to nod and force out a chocked-off 'of course'.
Ingeborg squeezed his cheek with her claws she called fingernails. "You'll come back though, won't you?"
Why does this sound like a threat? "Sure", he said and tried to hide the pain emanating from his cheek.
She smiled and let go before she grabbed Thomas that had just gotten out of the embrace of one of his uncles.
Newt smirked at the grimace he was pulling before he got trapped in a hug himself. At least it was just Jody.
"I'm gonna miss you, Newt."
"I'll miss you, too." Newt awkwardly placed his arms around her.
"You boys will be good to each other, right?"
"Of course."
"And you should start to train your resistance of his puppy-eyes. I know it's hard, but it can be done."
Newt chuckled as Jody let go off him with a grin.
"I hope to see you again before the next reunion." She smirked.
Newt sighed but couldn't hold back a smile. "I love how everybody just assumes that I'm coming along next time."
"Well, we can all practically see the cartoon hearts." She reached up to pat Newt's cheek. "It's pretty clear this relationship is meant to last for a long time."
"Newt!" came a deep voice. The only warning before he was trapped in another embrace. "My boy!"
"Hey, Mark", Newt got out. "I'll miss you, too."
"Take good care of my son. God knows, he needs it." Mark barked a laugh.
"We'll take care of each other", Thomas replied from somewhere behind Newt.
Mark finally let go and took a step back to wrap an arm around his wife. "Don't forget about us, just because you can't see us every day."
"We won't", Newt replied and smiled.
They waved once more at everybody in the room before they stepped outside and walked to Thomas's car. They took off tailed by a spray of muddy melting snow.
"Do you even know where exactly Rachel lives?" Newt asked.
"Uh..."
Newt rolled his eyes. "Give me your phone, I'll call her for directions."
They eventually reached Rachel's home, a nice little house with a small garden. Toys were visible through some of the windows on the upper floor.
They parked in front of the house and walked up the porch steps to ring the doorbell.
Muffled voices could be heard, followed by footsteps before the door swung open to reveal a short dark skinned girl with braided hair and huge dark eyes.
The girl seemed to be about four years old and cocked her head as she looked up at them. "Mommy!", she called out, even as her curious eyes never left them.
Rachel appeared a few seconds later with a bright smile. "Hey boys! Come in!"
Newt and Thomas hesitated before stepped past the little girl who'd opened the door wide for them. She closed it as soon as they'd stepped through and immediately darted for her mother's legs.
Thomas and Newt toed off their shoes and pushed them next to the others lined up against the wall. Newt noticed four different sizes.
"Who are they, mommy?" the little girl stage-whispered.
Rachel chuckled. "Those are Thomas and Newt. Boys, that little angel here is Suzie."
"Hey, Suzie!" Thomas greeted and leaned forward, hands on his knees. "You're one adorable little girl. Love that hairdo of yours. I wish I had hair like that."
"I can braid yours!" Suzie suggested. Her smile lit up her face. "My daddy taught me how to do it! It's real easy." She grabbed at one of Thomas's wrists and dragged him along past her mother and Newt.
Thomas looked over his shoulder and gave an apologetic smile to his boyfriend before he let himself get pulled along by a girl the third his size.
"There goes my boyfriend", Newt mumbled before he looked back at Rachel who was grinning widely.
"Suzie will hog him for a while. She always gets really excited when she meets new people."
"It's okay, Tommy's the same."
"Tabby should be somewhere upstairs by the way", Rachel said.
Just then a boy appeared in the doorway Thomas and Suzie had just disappeared through. He was about three years older than Suzie and seemed just as curious.
"Hey", Newt greeted awkwardly.
"Hi", the boy responded and offered a little wave.
"That's Toby", Rachel introduced. "Toby, that's Newt."
Toby nodded. "Nice name. Anyway, Suzie sent me to get you. Something about your hair."
Rachel snickered and Newt's eyes widened.
"If I were you, I'd go. She can be really persistent", Rachel advised.
Newt swallowed and followed Toby up the stairs.
"I really like your t-shirt by the way." Newt gestured at the Deadpool shirt Toby was wearing.
"You know him?"
"Of course! He's a pan icon!"
"I think I like you."
"I'm flattered", Newt replied.
Toby grinned at him over his shoulder before stopped in front of a closed white door. "That's Suzie's room. She's real messy so be careful where you step."
"You're not coming with?"
Toby quickly shook his head. "No way." He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at another closed door. "I'm through here. Yell if you need help." Toby quickly disappeared in the room beyond.
Newt only caught a fleeting glimpse of a yellow wall before he turned back around and knocked lightly at Suzie's door.
"Come in!" Thomas's voice was muffled.
Newt complied and opened the door just enough to step through before he closed it behind himself.
Toby hadn't been lying. There were books, pencils, crayons, paper, clothes, toy cars, dolls and a shit-ton of other stuff strewn across the floor until barely any carpet was visible. The blue walls were covered in drawings, posters and pictures, and right in the middle of the room, on a green beanbag chair was Thomas. Tabby was curled up on his lap while Suzie strategically covered his face in finger paint.
Newt could barely hold back the laughter. "I thought you wanted to braid his hair."
Suzie looked up at him. "His hair's too short." She sounded a little annoyed.
"So I said she could braid yours", Thomas added smugly.
Newt squinted his eyes and tried to convey all his thoughts through the glare.
Thomas seemed unfazed.
"Come over here and sit down!" Suzie ordered and pointed at the red beanbag right next to Thomas's.
Newt did as he was told, a feat that proved difficult since he didn't want to step on anything important on his way over. Once he'd sat down, Thomas lifted the kitten off his legs and offered it to Newt as silent peace offering. Newt rolled his eyes but accepted Tabby and cradled her against his chest.
"I think she grew since we last saw her", Thomas said and petted the small black and white cat between the ears.
"Hmmhmm", Newt hummed as he ran his fingers over the soft fur.
"Hold still now!, Suzie ordered as she started to brush Newt's hair.
Newt tried to keep as still as possible and only looked at Thomas out the corner of his eye. "How'd you end up with finger paint on your face?"
"She couldn't find an empty piece of paper."
Newt bit his lip to keep himself from smirking.
Suzie dropped the hair brush on the floor and started to roam the ground for hair ties. After she'd gathered some, she told Thomas to hold them for her. Which he did, before Suzie started braiding strands of Newt's hair.
"So how was your Christmas?" Thomas asked Suzie.
"It was great!" she answered happily. "I got Frozen on DVD and the new Mario Kart so now I can play with Toby."
"That's awesome!" Thomas said. He smiled as he handed Suzie a hair tie.
She fastened her first braid and started on a new one. "What did you get?"
"I got the Pirates of the Caribbean box set from Newt and some clothes."
"I think I saw part of that movie once before I fell asleep", Suzie said. She tapped Newt on the shoulder. "What about you?"
"Uh ... I got books from Tommy and a Christmas jumper with a snowman on it."
"I love building snowmen with Toby!" Suzie shouted and tugged painfully at Newt's hair in the process as she bounced excitedly. She was only silent for about five seconds. "How come you call him Tommy?"
Newt thought about his answer for a while. "I don't know. I guess when you really like somebody you just do that sometimes. It's a way of showing affection, I think."
Suzie thought about that for a few seconds. "My mommy and daddy call me cute things sometimes", she said. "I really like that, too. Do you like it when he calls you Tommy?" she asked Thomas.
"Yeah", Thomas answered, smile in his voice. "It makes me feel special."
"Then why don't you give him a nick name, too? Don't you love him?"
"No, no, that's not it!" Thomas hurried to say. "He just doesn't like it when I give him nick names."
"Why not?" Suzie asked and tugged at Newt's hair again as she leaned over his shoulder to look at him.
Newt and Suzie's faces were not even an inch apart and her huge dark eyes looked accusing.
"Uh ... I just don't like pet-names", Newt said weakly.
"How is Thomas gonna show his love if you won't let him?"
"He just tells me."
Suzie looked thoughtful for a second before she leaned back and allowed Newt to breathe a little easier. She didn't comment on the subject again so he guessed she was satisfied with his answer.
Tabby had by now fallen asleep on Newt's lap, curled into herself and pillowed on his folded arms. Thomas was sitting side-ways with one arm resting on the raised part by his side so Suzie could take another hair-tie if needed.
"You're really good at braiding", Thomas complimented her with a smile.
"I know", Suzie said happily and took another hair-tie. "Newt has really nice hair. It's much better than yours."
"I agree", Thomas responded and poked Newt's leg with his free hand.
Newt just felt awkward as he sat there, hair turned into short braids by a little girl, a cat on his lap and his boyfriend next to him with finger paint on his face. That wasn't how he'd imagined his day would go.
"I came here for the kitten and now she's asleep on you", Thomas commented, pout clear in his voice.
"You gave her to me", Newt responded.
"I thought she'd be loyal enough to come back to me."
Newt shook his head and smiled to himself.
They stayed for about two hours.
Suzie made Newt keep the braids for tea and cookies and then they all played Mario Kart, which Toby won, with Suzie coming in second. All of which mostly because Thomas had declared war against Newt in the very beginning which had made them both spend the whole game keeping each other from going even ten seconds without getting hit by shells and banana peels.
Afterward,Thomas and Suzie removed the braids from Newt's hair before Thomas got to wash his face.
They pet and cuddled Tabby for a few more minutes before they had to say their goodbyes and leave with smiles, waving and promises of staying in touch.
"Your hair's still wavy", Thomas chuckled after he'd pulled back into the streets.
"And your face is still red from scrubbing the paint off."
"Touché."
The drive was long and spent with singing, talking and joking.
They made three stops for bathroom breaks and buying snacks until they reached their college dorm.
They carried their duffel bags up to their room and dropped them on the floor before they shut the door behind them.
"Ah, dust and the smell of smoking brains", Thomas remarked after he'd taken a deep breath.
Newt chuckled as he walked over to his bed and threw himself down face first.
"Now we're officially a unit, we need to rearrange the room a little", Thomas said.
Newt rolled over to watch him push his bed against Newt's before he laid down, his feet hanging over the edge, as he buried his face in Newt's wavy hair.
"All done!" Thomas announced.
Newt pulled back a few inches and studied Thomas's face. Memories of the last two weeks flashed through his mind and made him break out into a smile.
"What?" Thomas asked. He sounded amused as he returned the smile.
"Nothing", Newt answered and pressed their lips together in a soft kiss.
Thomas opened immediately and tilted his head to deepen it. When they pulled apart, he looked a little dazed. "What was that for?"
"Do I need a reason?" Newt asked and leaned in for a short peck.
"No ... but it felt ... special somehow."
"I was just thinking about the last two weeks."
"And?"
"Nothing. You're just really beautiful and I love you."
Thomas 'aww'ed and pulled Newt closer. He wrapped his arms around him and squeezed him closer between kisses peppered across his face, neck and hair. "I love you, too."
Newt laughed and squirmed only slightly. "You just ruined a perfectly romantic moment, you bloody goof."
"But you looked so adorable and a man has needs."
Newt stilled with a roll of his eyes and cupped Thomas's face to pull him into another kiss.
Epilogue
"I can't believe you dragged me back here", Newt grumbled as they pulled up in front of the big wooden cabin.
"I can't believe you still fall for the puppy dog eyes", Thomas replied and pulled the key from the ignition.
"Me neither."
They sat there for a while, just looking at the house.
"Sometimes I think I love you a little too much", Newt remarked.
"Nah, you love me just enough. If you loved me any less, you'd leave me in a few years and I can't have that."
Newt sighed and opened the car door to get out.
Thomas followed his example and rounded the car to open the trunk and get their duffel bags. He handed one to Newt before closing the lid and locking the car.
They walked up the front door of the house and rang the door bell. It was thrown open by an excited looking Ingeborg. "My boys!" she exclaimed and opened her arms widely.
"I should really learn to say 'no' to you", Newt whispered as he side-eyed his boyfriend.
"Just remember that I love you", the brunet replied.