March 8th 1998

     Thomas woke up with a massive hangover. His head was pounding and his body felt like someone beat him senseless with a baseball bat. He groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair and changed his clothes. He desperately needed to shower, maybe even twice. He looked horrible and smelled even worse.

     He grabbed his stuff, freezing when he saw his jacket laid across the dresser, there was a folded piece of felt on top, Newt's X. Thomas' heart stopped. Newt can't find that yet. If he saw it...

    Thomas grabbed clean clothes, his soap and flew out of his room, sprinting down the hall to Minho's.

     He banged on the buff boy's door hard, feeling the panic bubbling in his throat.

     Minho opened it almost it a few minutes later, rubbing his eyes and groaning. "It's like eleven in the morning, what do you wan-"

     Minho stopped as he saw Thomas. "Oh. I knew you'd be stopping by. Come in."

     "How'd I get back last night?" Thomas asked instantly.

     "You fell asleep on Newt in the car then I carried you and threw your drunk ass on the bed."

     Okay maybe not so bad.

     "You want to know about the thing I found in your coat huh?"

     Fuck.

     "Yeah."

     "I was actually going to ask you about that."

     Double fuck.

     "W-what about it?" Thomas stammered.

     "How do you have that?"

     "You won't believe me," Thomas scoffed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

     "You have no faith in me."

     "No Minho, it-it's really complicated."

     Minho crossed his arms. "Don't tell me what's complicated Thomas. Tell me who the fuck you are."

     Thomas sighed, dropping his head into his hands. "You can't tell the others."

    "Why?"

     Thomas looked up at him. "Minho, you can't. I'm serious. You can't."

     "You're kinda freaking me out dude," Minho admitted as he dropped his arms.

     Thomas took a deep breath. How do you even begin to explain this shit?

     "I'm not from here...well like I am but I'm not."

     "And that means?"

     Thomas sighed. Full send. "I'm from the future. From 2003 to be exact."

     Minho looked at him like he grew three heads. "I'm sorry, come again?"

     "Minho I'm serious."

     "Did you expect me to just believe you? The future Thomas really?"

     "I wish I was making this up. The professor sent me back, with El's help and this girl named Kitty. It was a whole process really."

     "Prove it."

     "What?"

     "Prove your from the future. Tell me something."

     Thomas raked his brain, what would make Minho believe him?

     "I know about Newt's parents. And his sister, Lizzy. I know he watched the whole thing. I know WICKED was behind it."

     Minho's eyes widened. "H-how do y-he doesn't tell anyone that."

     "I know Kis' real name is Addison and El's is Rose. I know they met at WICKED in the basement cell. I know your parents tried to off you and that's why you're here."

     "Stop," Minho said. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost. "How do you know all of that?"

     "Because you guys told me. You guys are my best friends."

     Minho looked at him, this time with curiosity. "And Newt?"

     Thomas huffed out a laugh. "My boyfriend."

     Minho's eyes widened. "Newt and you date?"

     Thomas nodded. "It was this whole mess. He was getting with Alby but we liked each other so I got with Teresa but then broke up with her and me and Newt finally admitted our feelings because I almost killed him with a weird clone of myself but then..." Thomas trailed off. "I'm getting carried away."

     "You love him?"

     "God yeah, he's everything to me."

     Minho was quiet for a moment, processing everything in his head. Thomas understood, it was a lot to wrap his head around.

     "So like, why are you here then?"

     "What?"

     "Why are you back in this, uh time period or whatever, you have your own with all of older adult us. Why did you come here?"

     Thomas looked down at his hands, feeling his chest tighten. He couldn't tell Minho, he couldn't scare him like that. He couldn't tell Kis and he definitely couldn't tell Newt.

     Thomas didn't even realize he was crying until Minho pulled him into a hug.

     "Something happened to Newt right?"

     Thomas nodded into his shoulder and tried to will himself to stop crying. Newt was here, he was fine. Minho was alive and with him and Kis was probably making heart eyes over El somewhere. They were all fine.

     Thomas untangled himself from Minho and wiped his eyes hard. "Shit I'm sorry, I'm fine. That was annoying."

    Minho awkwardly patted his shoulder before smiling softly. "So like are there flying cars in the future?"

     Thomas laughed at that. "Minho it's five years away not fifty."

     "Is there still Taco Bell?"

     "Yes Minho."

     "Am I still hot?"

     Thomas was smiling now. "Of course."

     "So you're here to fix whatever happened in the future?"

     Thomas nodded.

     "And how are you gonna do that?"

     Thomas sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "It's complicated but it basically all rests on Newt. I have to get him to trust me again."

     "You're gonna tell him about who you really are?"

     Thomas nodded. "I planned on it. I was going to when he you know didn't wanna break my teeth."

     Minho lightly rolled his eyes. "He doesn't wanna hit you Thomas."

     "He hates me, I thought it would be like last time. He hated me at first but we got along pretty quickly and he started sneaking into my room at night and just sleeping on my chest and it was cute and then I kissed him and...okay off track again but I thought it would be easier than this."

     Minho looked down at his hands. "You're not like...using him right? Like playing with his feelings just so he'll trust you?"

     "What the hell Minho? No. We've been dating for two years... or will date. I'm serious about him. And we're like sickeningly in love, like flirting all the time, always have to be touching one another. You tease us all the time."

     "Sounds like something I'd do."

     "Minho I don't want to hurt Newt, I never did and I never will."

     "Promise?"

     Thomas nodded. "I promise. I love that boy. I'd never do anything to hurt him."

     Minho bit his lip. "You know Teresa likes you right?"

     Thomas nodded. "I know, but I thought I made it pretty clear that I'm into blonde boys with attitude problems."

     Minho snorted out a laugh. "That is a pretty good description of Newt."

     "Is it too weird to ask for your advice? On how to get him not to hate me? And then there's the Alby issue."

     Minho took a deep breath. "Newt doesn't let himself care about people easily because of, well you know all the stuff with his parents. He's afraid of losing the people he loves again. He also really hates being told what to do or think. You just have to give him time and let him come around on his own."

     Thomas sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know how much time I have Min."

     "Newts not gonna react well if you push him."

     "I know, he's kinda a hot head."

     Minho scoffed out a laugh. "You could say that."

     "He's cute tho." Thomas smiled softly.

     "And about the Alby thing, Newt likes him because he gives him attention. Newt really likes attention even though he'll deny it every chance he gets."

    Thomas stuck out his bottom lip. "I'd love to give him attention."

    "But you're easy."

     "What?"

     "Alby isn't easy, that's why Newt likes to play around with him."

     "Fuck." Thomas pulled at his hair. "This was so much easier the first time."

     "I'd say if you got Newt to fall for you once, he'll probably do it again."

     Thomas scoffed. "I can't risk probably."

    "Why don't you just try telling him, like you told me? I think I took it pretty well."

     "Yeah sure, 'hi Newt, I'm from the future. Your dick has been up my ass and I need you to trust me or bad things will happen.'"

     Minho cringed slightly. "Not the best wording but I get it, bad idea."

     Thomas let out a breath and rested his head on his hands.

     "His nightmares!" Minho said as he grinned and snapped his fingers.

     "What?"

     "Offer to help him with his nightmares! Those are killing him, I know he'd love it if you could help with them."

     "I don't think I can."

     "Don't tell him that. Say you can try."

     Thomas thought it over in his head, it could work. It would get Newt to talk to him and he'd maybe even let Thomas get close to him.

    "You know what I think you might be onto something Minho," Thomas said which made the buff boy's smile grow.

     Thomas lifted up his shower stuff. "I think I'm gonna go clean myself, I feel like death from last night. I'll talk to you later okay?"

     "And talk to Newt!"

     "And talk to Newt."

     Thomas paused as he approached the door. "Minho?"

     "Yeah?"

     "Thank you."

     Minho saluted him which made Thomas laugh and leave.

     He walked down the hallway to the showers. Once he was in he instantly felt better, like the warm water washing down his back erased all his problems. He washed out his hair, realizing in horror how unclean it actually was.

     When he was finished he wrapped the towel around his waist and headed to the mirrors, frowning when he saw his reflection. He really did look like his fifteen year old self. His body was skinny and awkward and his chin was completely free of any stubble even though he hadn't touched a razor since he got there.

     He blew out a frustrated breath before turning around and jumping when he saw a person standing there.

     "Holy fuck you scared the shit out of...oh uh hi," Thomas said as he saw Newt standing there also wrapped in a towel. He immediately felt his face get hot as the blonde boy blinked at him.

     He had an obscene hickey on the place where his neck met his shoulder. Newt noticed Thomas' eyes on it and shook out his wet hair to try and cover it up.

     "Hi," Newt said shortly.

     Welp this isn't awkward. I'm fucking naked Newt, don't talk to me when we're both naked.

     "Your head okay?" Newt asked suddenly as he cocked his head slightly.

     "My head?"

     "You hit it on the window in the car last night."

     "I did?"

     A hint of a smile appeared on Newt's lips. "You got fucked up."

      Thomas shook his head. "Tell me something I don't know."

     Newt was quiet again as he picked up another one of his towels and started drying his mess of blonde hair. The other towel hung low on his hips and Thomas really couldn't think straight, not that he could ever think straight. Being a younger teenage boy again really threw away all the control he had on his hormones.

     "You didn't have fun," Newt said suddenly as he finished drying his hair.

     "What?"

     "In the car, you told me you didn't have fun. Why?"

     Because who would have fun while watching the love of their live get sucked on by some asshole?

     "I don't know. I was drunk."

     "No." Newt frowned. "You meant it, why?"

     God Newt you little shit.

     Thomas just smiled at him as he grabbed his comb. "Because who has fun when they get rejected and then have to watch the boy they kinda got a thing for get played with by another guy?"

     That shut Newt right up.

     Thomas grabbed his toothbrush and squeezed some toothpaste onto it. He put it in his mouth and started brushing his teeth, trying to get the horrible taste out of his mouth.

    "I didn't." Newt said as he combed the knots out of his hair.

     "Huh?" Thomas muttered through his mouth full of toothpaste.

     "I didn't reject you."

     Thomas rolled his eyes, trying to the message of 'yeah you did' across pretty clearly.

     Thomas spit into the sink before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Pretty sure you threw a chair over too."

     Newt's cheeks flushed red as he looked down at the sink. "I was mad."

     "Why were you mad?"

     Newt shrugged.

     "That's not fair. You made me tell you what I meant, tell me why you were mad."

     Newt finished his hair, looking satisfied before he dropped his comb back in his bag.

     "I thought you weren't into Teresa. Why were you talking to her when I came out of the bathroom?"

     Knowing he wasn't going to get an answer out of Newt, Thomas rolled his eyes. "First off, she came up to me and me and Teresa had a really nice conversation about how I'm into blonde boys with attitude problems."

     Thomas picked up his small pile of clothes before looking at Newt.

     "I'd love to keep talking but I'd also really like to put some clothes on."

     Newt turned away from the sink to look at Thomas. "Why?"

     "Well uh I want to put clothes on because being naked really isn't allowed in publ-"

     "Why are you into me?"

     Okay, I was not expecting that one.

     "Why wouldn't I be?" Thomas started.

     "It doesn't make sense!" Newt exclaimed. "I'm mean to you, I say rude stuff and I get pissy when you're near me so why do you like me?"

     Thomas smiled softly as he looked at the blonde boy who really did have his heart. "Because I know that under all that you're a sweet boy who just wants someone to care about him. Of course you being cute is just a nice bonus but you're way more than that Newt."

     Newt looked like he was rendered speechless.

     Thomas adjusted his grip on his towel. "Minho mentioned you get nightmares, I can try and help you with them, fear is kinda my thing. Let me know if you want to try."

     With that Thomas walked into one of the stalls, dropping his towel immediately. He pulled on his soft blue hoodie and jeans. He felt like an entirely new person. Drinking was always such a bad idea.

     When Thomas opened the stall again Newt was still standing there. Thomas threw his towel over his shoulder before leaving the small stall.

     "No," Newt said as Thomas started heading out of the bathroom.

     "What?"

     "You really can help with my nightmares?"

     "It depends," Thomas answered honestly as he watched Newt's expressions carefully in the mirror.

     "Depends on what."

     "What you're afraid of. What's causing it. If I'm also afraid of it."

     Newt scoffed. "That's a lot of conditions."

     "I'm offering my help Newt, not a permanent solution to life's problems."

     "I don't have problems," Newt snapped as he tightened his towel around his waist.

     "I never said you did."

     Newt turned around finally and faced him. "Tonight."

     "Huh?"

     "We can try tonight."

     Thomas just then noticed how the nightmares were affecting Newt. He had massive bags under his eyes and he looked a little pale. He assumed Newt was barely sleeping, he definitely knew how that felt.

     "How often do you get them?" Thomas asked as he watched Newt shift his weight on his feet. He was nervous.

     "At least a few times a week, sometimes every night."

     "Every night? Shit Newt."

     "I know," he snapped. "Don't pity me."

     Thomas shook his head. "I was the same way. When I first started getting my power. I couldn't control it. I barely slept for months. Every time I slept I would destroy something, kill someone, by accident of course."

     "But you can sleep now?"

     Thomas nodded. "I'm fine now."

     Newt let out a breath. "I still don't get why you're helping me Tommy."

     Thomas wanted to strangle him.

     "One, we're friends whether you like it or not. Two, I told you that my endgame here wasn't sex, I'm literally doing it because I care. Three, why not, I literally have nothing better to do."

     Newt stayed silent, he was still looking at Thomas but it was clear he wasn't planning on replying.

     "Alright I think you've asked me about fifty questions in this...wonderful...bathroom talk so I think I've earned the right to ask you a question. Don't ya think?"

     Newt cocked his head in curiosity.

     "Why do you call me Tommy?"

     "I don't like Thomas. Everyone else calls you Thomas. Only I call you Tommy. Tommy works."

     And with that Newt shut himself in a stall, clearly indicating the conversation was over.
Thomas shook his head as he walked out of the bathroom.

     That blonde boy had him wrapped around his fucking finger.