Chapter Text
‘’Tommy!’’
Have you ever wondered if cold has a sound? When your world is covered in snow all around you all the time you start noticing it’s sounds. The quietness is different. It has that crispy feel which sings it’s own melody of quietness. It changes the sounds. The voice calling his name, it flows differently, as if it dances with the snow all around it and changes it. Thomas could swear that’s how the language of angels must sound like. Distant echo of the quietness of the snow and frost.
‘’Thomas! Please open your eyes, love’’
His eyelids felt too heavy. The chest where his head was resting on and arms securely encircled around him provided some kind of warmth. It wasn’t much, but it still lulled him to sleep.
Too bad, said arms retreated and a gust of cold wind replaced them. Thomas shivered but soon felt those warm fingertips caressing his face and gently shaking him.
‘’You’re so cold… c’mon, baby, we’re almost here’’
Then he felt cold lips press onto his forehead. And at that Thomas finally slowly opened his eyes.
The world was the same cold hell hole made out of blues, whites and blacks. Just as he left it when he closed his eyes. But who cares about that when you have the brightest sun of them all right in front of you? A bright being with golden hair, light-pouring eyes and angelic face. No matter blue shivering lips or bags under the eyes, nor the frost covering the eyelashes, for Thomas it was still the most beautiful view.
Newt.
‘’You scared me a little there’’ the blond sighted in relief ‘’it’s dangerous to fall asleep while this freezing’’ Newt’s hand travelled up from Thomas’ cheek to brush hair out of his face and then put the glove back on his hand.
‘’I’m just tired…and cold’’ Thomas sighed and nuzzled into the crook of Newt’s neck.
‘’I know’’ the blond murmured and pressed a small kiss to Thomas’ shoulder, encircling his arms around Thomas again and pressing him close to his chest.
‘’Here’’ Minho, who was sitting behind them, untangled one of his scarfs and shuffled closer to put it on Thomas. Newt sent him a grateful look.
‘’While you were sleeping, princess’’ Minho smirked as he finished knotting the scarf on him ‘’you didn’t even notice that we’re almost finally here’’
‘’What?’’ Thomas raised his head from Newt’s shoulder.
‘’Yes, Tommy’’ Newt smiled brightly at him, his eyes sparkling with wonder and his nose playfully touching Thomas’ ‘’Look up. The city. You can see it now, it’s beautiful…’’ Newt turned to the other side to look at something, Thomas followed his motion and then he saw it too. In the distance of never ending planes of snow, on the horizon of the view, which barely changed anywhere you go, was finally something else. Something new. It was still quite far but you could already see tall buildings. A lot of them. And a huge wall surrounding the whole city. Now it has ceased snowing for a moment and the sun reflected from the roofs made the city look as if it was sparkling. Thomas looked around. Now you could see a lot more wooden carriages moved by horses, just like theirs, coming from different directions towards the city.
The last city. The city of hopes. Of new beginnings.
Thomas turned back around smiling to Newt and his friends. His family. Seven of them endured so much, survived so much, escaped from W.I.C.K.E.D. and now finally finally everything will be better, they will start new. They were all huddled together with bunch of other people in a half good wooden carriage, with no roof, traveling like this for days now. They were all covered in snow, tired and freezing, wearing as many layers of clothes as they had. And staying as close to each other as possible to provide atleast a bit of warmth.
But now, after everything, they were so close and you could see the hope sparkling in all of his friends’ eyes. Brenda and Teresa were tangled together and both hugged by Gally from behind, Ben sat hugging his knees between them and Minho and next to him sat Newt hugging Thomas close. They were now all looking at each other silently and smiling.
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They entered the city couple of hours later. A lot of people, survivors just like them there flooding inside the walls of the city. You could hear laughter and see smiles plastered on everyone in the streets, there were even some small children cheering. The atmosphere was great, you could read hope written all over the faces of everyone. People were saying hello, shaking hands with each other, groups and families were searching for houses assigned by the government to them.
Thomas and his group were now storming into their new house now, cheering and laughing. Just as they shut the door everyone cheered and talked over each other of how warm is here, how beautiful inside is, how cosy. Brenda and Teresa hugged each other and screamed out of pure joy and soon everyone joined in to the huge group hug, nobody seemed to be able to stop smiling and laughing. They did it! They were finally free and safe and happy!
Later on Thomas and Newt entered their own soon to be bedroom. While Newt relished in soft mattress of the bed (a bed! Something they haven’t seen nor had in a while) Thomas went to look through the window. It was snowing outside. Harsh and unforgiving blizzard. As always. But now instead of constantly freezing they were safe in a warm house. And he could even smell pancakes Brenda was already making!
Suddenly he felt arms encircling his waist from behind and he turned around to meet a bright smile of a boy he loved dearly.
Newt cupped Thomas’ face, smiling widely.
‘’We made it’’ he said as though he still couldn’t quite believe that and laughed. Then peppered Thomas cheeks with kisses.
‘’We will build a huge fireplace in the living room!’’ he would say and then kiss him again ‘’and we will collect a lot of books here. Hell, we will write some ourselves!’’ a kiss ‘’we will get ourselves a dog!’’ another kiss until Thomas became a giggling mess.
‘’When the city expands I will build us a small little house near the forest!’’
‘’And we will paint it red!’’ Thomas would add
‘’Any color you want, love!’’
‘’And maybye we will even grow some plants inside!’’
‘’Flowers, vegetables…’’
‘’Avocados!’’
‘’That’s quite bloody specific but hell yeah, why not!’’
‘’And we will make pasta every Friday!’’
‘’And invite Minho, Brenda and the others over!’’
‘’And sometimes we will just lay in bed whole day!’’
‘’And when the spring comes I will marry you!’’ Newt says.
‘’Marry me?’’ Thomas laughs breathlessly, Newt’s enthusiasm was intoxicating, his whole being was shining, he was brighter than the sun, it almost blinded Thomas to look at his smile ‘’Newt, the world has ended!’’ he laughs ‘’people don’t even do that anymore, who would even marry us?’’
‘’I don’t care!’’ Newt throws his hands
‘’I could do it’’ Minho’s voice piped in. Him, Gally, Ben, Teresa, Brenda were all peeking in through the door wearing sheepish smiles.
‘’Agreed!’’ Newt laughs. And then everyone cheered.
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As Thomas remembers all of that now, that was probably their happiest time, he thinks.
Well…
Before everything went to shit.
Before the virus broke down in the city and walls were closed so no one could leave.
Before people were starving and fighting in the streets for a loaf of bread.
Before neighbours became enemies.
Before the mass killings.
Before the sickness.
Before the deaths.
Before the cranks were roaming the streets with black veins covering their bodies.
The same black veins which are now spreading through the body of the boy he loves.