Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Newts car pulls up into the drive way, he can see his cousin, Gally, standing waving at him, cowboy hat perched low on his face, his house the epitome of southern america. Newt briefly thanks the driver as Gally’s parents approach to pay the driver. His Dad goes to the boot whilst Newt’s aunt approaches the door and whisks Newt into a hug, he’s been dealing with a lot of this long awkward hugs over the past few weeks.

His aunt grasp’s his long hair and his chest, “Oh Newton, I’m miss your mother so much, I can’t image how you are feeling sweetheart.” Her southern accent drawls out. She reaches out and offers a hand to him getting out of the car, the brace on his leg digs into his knee and he grasps his aunts hand tightly as she pulls him out the car.

He imagines they’ve been warned by his councillors and social workers that he hasn’t spoke much recently, that the anger he felt for weeks after the crash has subdued, and his speech stopped mostly after his own crash. His uncle gives him a tight smile and brings all his bags into the house.

“We’ll retrieve the rest of your stuff out of storage when we have the money, darlin’” His aunt says kindly, “Gal do me a favor sweetheart and pull your cousins crutch out of the car.”

“Yes Ma’,” Gally says sharply and put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he reaches into the car, Newt feels awkward placing all his weight onto his aunt, but theres not a lot he can do, he’s a lot taller than her so has to awkwardly slump over to reach his arm over her shoulder, ever since this had all happened Newt has grown uncomfortable in his height, which wasn’t something he thought about a lot before this.

But now as he towers over almost everyone who’s trying to comfort him, he just feels off, like his legs are too big for his body, his postures shrunk and his eyeline hits the floor more than it used to.

Gally hands him his crutch and Newt gives him a tight smile. He can finally lift the weight off his aunt and back onto his crutch. “Gally do me a favour and show your cousin to his room, whilst I put on dinner, get some good home cooked food in you,” She says firmly, whilst turning mouthing something at Gally and going into the house.

“You still prefer Newt?” Gally asks when his mother turns into the house, and Newt is glad that atleast one of his relatives can remember that, Gally and him were close when they were kids, but as they got older became slowly polar opposites. But he was a good cousin to have at family gatherings, to go on ‘walks’ with at christmas.

“How was the flight,” Newt feels something in him, he knows that before all this he give his cousin a snarky remark back, I really enjoy having my broken leg cramped up in a plane for 8 hours, Gal. But he can’t bring himself to say that so instead he makes a thumb down and a farting noise. Which gets a good laugh out of his cousin.

“Wouldn’t expect anything else.” He is lead into his cousin’s house, the warm aroma of fresh food fills his nose, the warm feeling of the house is good, it feels very american but not bad, there dog who is still Newts favourite animal ever greets him at the door, he scratches behind his ears.

“I think Zart may have missed you pal,” Gally says slowly.

And Newt looks up at his cousin trying to give him the best smile he can, he hopes that Gally appreciates the effort. They walk up the stairs slowly, Newts leg isn’t the best for doing anything but especially going up stairs.

He’s lead into a room thats right next to Gally’s, small but nice, “Uses to be my old man’s office, I hope its nice enough,” He says awkwardly, Newt feels grateful, he’d been sleeping in a group home in London with two other boys that this is more than enough, he pulls his cousin into a tight hug, happy to be surrounded with some sense of family whilst surrounded by a suffocating greif.

Gally accepts the hug stiff-ly at first but then sinks into it, shortly becoming the small boys they once were, facetime-ing each other excitedly when ever they could, and now they were starting into there late teenagehoods, one boy who’d lost everything, and one boy who is watching the shell of his old friend hoping he’d return to him.

“I’ve missed you Newt,” Gally says softly, pulling away, placing strong hands on his cousin’s shoulders, they were almost the same height and it felt comforting for Newt, “I’ll let you get situated, left you a few surprises under the bed just don’t get caught yeah? Ma’ll bring you food up cuz of your leg.”

Newt nodded, managing to squeeze out a few words, “Thank you, mate.”

“Mmm missed that sexy accent o’ yours,” He said laughing before exiting his cousins room.

Newt’s uncle had unpacked a bit, folding his clothes neatly into the small chest of draws by the bed, Putting his growing collection of books on the shelves and anything that spilled out in many stacks against the walls, his backpack was on the bed, he reached in and pulled his phone out and his headphones.

He had one message, one from his only friend still with him, Brenda just checking in with him on how things were going. He responded quickly and put his headphones in, turing up the music, he looked under his bed and there was a shoebox, filled with Marlboro’s and everything else he definitely wasn’t allowed in his Uncle and Aunts house. He mentally thanked Gally as he unwrapped a pack of cigs, and pulled out the lighter he’d been donated.

And as he did he uncovered a note, I’ll keep this stocked for ya, so long as you work on being the sarcastic asshole I love, - Gal Newt smiled at this, he was slowly coming back to himself but it was hard, hard when his whole world had been turned upside down.

He lifted the small window they’d provided him, it lead to the roof he thanked them for that, he reached into his back pocket and uncovered the book he’d been reading on the plane, he took one of the cigs out and lit up, the smoke filling his lungs curing his jetlag as best as it could.

Gally’s parents owned a farm, and his room was right on the edge of it, so he could se the edge of the neighbors farm, where the sheep were, he took a drag and a looked up from his page. And thats when he saw another boy herding the sheep to be fed, he had black hair that was peaking out from under his wide brimmed hat, a shirt that was pulled up to his elbows revealing muscled forearms, he looked about Newts age, and a lot more interesting than the book Newt was trying to read.

He was certainly nice to look at, he had bootcut jeans that curved his ass amazingly, Newt took a long drag of his cigarette, and tried to make out the boys features, but he couldn’t and if his face was as nice as the rest of him, maybe living in the middle of the depressing south wouldn’t be as depressing as he though with someone who looked like that strutting about.

He knew to keep his staring to a secret and he knew the people around here weren’t too fond of people like Newt, although he had an inkling that his cousin wasn’t as straight as he liked to let on. From last he knew when his cousins came to England for christmas Gally drunkenly confessed he was having it on with the local pothead, and he was sure that was still true due to the content of the shoe box that he had so graciously donated.

He continually watched his new favourite sight till he finished his cigarette and had to awkwardly shuffle back through the window without his leg cramping up, he was excited to get the almost debilitating cast off the next day, doctors said it would open up his movement a lot more.

His Aunt brought his food up and fussed over him a bit more and then he fell asleep, missing england and everything at home a lot, but mostly his family, mostly his sister.

_ _ _

A few weeks went by and newt filled his days mostly with doctors appointments, mental and physical, he spent a lot of time on his roof, either with a book and a joint, a cigarette and a view, or Gally and a bottle of whatever he had on hand. He’d been opening up to Gally a lot more, speaking to him the most, he was understanding, and kind, he was very violent and seen as mean. But not with Newt especially not now with everything he has been through.

But today was the day he’d been dreading since he got here, he had to go back to school, he’d been excused some days off, till he was ready and since his leg was better– mostly only ever playing up occasionally and a few days a week he could get by without a crutch.
And his therapist had said he seemed mentally fit enough to return to school, as he was speaking more to her and his family, and with a hopeful look from his aunt he’d agreed. So now here he was messenger back slung across his shoulders, in a pair of plain jeans and a bashed up tshirt that used to be his sisters, so it rode up when he raised his arms, sat in the front of Gally’s truck.

“Oh god, Gal,” Newt shook his head, “I really don’t want to go in, I will stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Shut up Newtie,” Gally sneered, “Stick with me and no one will fuck with you, you can eat lunch in my car to avoid everyone because I know you hate people, well atleast you do now.” Newt rolled his eyes, “Keep the the back of the room and no one will pay much attention to you I promise.”

“Come on, you’ll be fine.”

Newt reached his classroom, he was the last one to get in as he had to go to the office first. He stood in front of his new classmates, and then he noticed him, sat at the back smirking, wearing something different than his cowboy attire, jeans full of starch and white shirt tucked into them legs leant up against the empty desk in front of him, face as gorgeous as Newt expected, whispering something to the girl next to him.

His black hair sweeped messily back, his teacher smiled at him and gestured at him to come further to the front. He cleared his throat and the boy locked eye with him and smirked. “Alright class, the is Newton-”

“Newt,” Newt grunted out, and a boy at the back whistled, the cowboy laughed loudly.

“That is not nice Siggy,”

“Its Frypan, what is with this guy and getting peoples name wrong, eh? Newt?” The cowboy and his friend laughed again, there southern accents rumbling through them.

“Just hush will you, as I was saying this is Newt, He’s joined us from England.” The teacher gestured at him to say something, but the anxiety was bubbling up in his throat, so he just raised his hand and looked back at the teacher.

“Alright.. Newt, you can sit in front of Thomas, if he’d remove his boots.” The teacher gestured to the Cowboy, he raised his arms up and lifted his legs down, his boot hitting the ground with a thud and a smug smirk written over his lips.

And Newt thought it was unfair that he was so bloody gorgeous. Newt approached the desk and set his bag down, as the teacher started up the class, they were doing Othello, which was one of Newts favourites. And he was trying to focus when he heard shuffling from behind him and then a soft southern drawl in his ear.

“Your Gally’s new boy, ain’t yah? The one that stares at me from his roof.” Newt could feel the smirk in his voice and his whole body tensed, he knew that before this he would’ve given a snarky reply back, but he was frozen.

“Mmh, I don’t mind really…” He said tryna get a rise out of Newt but newt wasn’t that dumb, “You don’t say much do ya.” He drummed his fingers on the side of his desk.

Newt decided then and there he couldn’t stand Thomas.

Chapter Text

Thomas was in every single one of Newts classes, and he could not take it anymore, his constant staring, his loud annoying american accent and that laugh, that loud blistering annoying laugh. He was happy to see the back of him after every lesson, and as Gally drove him home that afternoon he was seithing.

“What’s got you madder than a wet hen?” Gally asked leaning over carefully, his usual insane demeanor that he reserved for everyone other than Newt slipping now they were on the way home.

“Our next door neighbor.” Newt grunted out, opening the window to light a spliff.

“Reckoned he be your type…” Gally prompted with a smirk, and Newt felt the heat in his face rise.

“No, he is not my type, he is pisisng me off, he’s in every single one of my classes, he’s obnoxious and loud and absolutely not my type.” Newt said through pressed teeth.

“Sure about that…” Gally pressed on again, and Newt glared at him still, “Hey I’m just staying he’s not yknow not hard to look at, if you catch what I’m putting down.”

Newt glared at him again, hoping he’d shut his mouth, but knowing Gally he didn’t, “Look I’m just saying, and what I’ve heard from very reliable sources he don’t mind putting his toes in our side of the pond.”

“Oh Gally, shut up.” Gally sniggered and Newt glared at him still the window blowing cigarette ash into the sky.

“All I’m saying is you don’t hate him, you hate he makes you nervous, what caught you oogling one too many times and now he’s teasing yah for it,” Gally joking suggested. And when Newt averted his eyes, Gally let out a yelp of laughter, “Hah, thats exactly it, he’s flustering you my dear cousin.”

New flipped him off, and Gally carried on laughing so hard the truck swerved, “Jesus Gal, I’ve already survived two car crashes.” But Gally ever the thrill seeker just carried on laughing pushing his sweaty black hair into his cap.

“Anyway, make any friends today..?” He questioned.

“No of course I didn’t Gal, no one wants to hang around with the mute kid.” Gally just nodded at that not pressing any further, and Newt appreciated it.

“Anyway Ma’ wants you to do some work in the fields today, said it’ll help, theres a tree in the back she wants chopped down.” Newt nodded, “Its at the back probably means you can get away with having a smoke in the back,” Then Gally lets out another yelp of laughter, “Also the neighbours have invited us around for a bonfire, say they want to get to know you.”

“Can my life get any worse,” Newt groaned.

“Gonna be honest with you Newtie, I don’t think so, but after the nights done I’ll be able to tell you if Tom wants you back,” Gally suggested, and Newt stared at him.

“Tom?” Newt questioned.

“Oh did I not mention,” Gally beamed, “Thomas and I are pretty good mates, childhood best friends actually.”

“And when you mentioned ‘reliable sources’ earlier.” Newt grunted.

“Oh yeah, those reliable sources are words from his mouth,” Gally sniggered and clapped a hand around his cousins back.

_ _ _

Newt trudged to the back of his uncle and aunts property line, with tools in his hands, he was glad to be out on the fields actually, he used to volunteer at a farm in wales occasionally in school holidays back in england.

The tree his aunt had referred to was more of a stump actually, he pulled out the axe he’d been lent and began to hit the tree until it splintered, taking it apart piece by piece he put the separate logs he got into the wheel barrow next to him to bring back for bonfire at the neighbors house.

He hacked at the stump, which he hated to admit but his aunt was right about, it was helping relieve some stress, he hacked at it till all of the stump came out of the ground, even the roots as his aunt so viciously reminded him.

By the time he was done his arms were tired and his face was sweaty, his heart was pounding and the blistering heat from the Texan sun was beating down on him. He reached for the canister he had brought with him and took long swig of the cold water. He used the back of his palm to wipe his forehead and reached on his wist for a hairband.

He whisked his long hair into a bun for convenience, Sonya had always told him it looked dumb, but right now he couldn’t care.

He trudged the barrel of logs back to the house, then he returned to clean up the area, and by the time he’d done that he was dripping with sweat.

His leg was also playing up so he slumped against the fence for what he said would just be a second, he extended his bad leg to try and rest it before walking back to the house.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pack of fags that Gally had slipped him as he walked out the door, he clicked the cigarette to light and draw the smoke in as he closed his eyes for a moment.

Getting himself ready for the long and most likely painful trek back to the house.

“You know that bad for you right,” Came an agitating voice from above him, Newt knew who it was before he even opened his eyes.

Newt sighed, trying to give him a look that showed him the displeasure that he had by Thomas being stood in front him.

Newt pulled the cigarette back up to his lips and inhaled deeply, staring Thomas down willing him to leave him alone. “Your cousin told me you don’t say much,” Newt gave him a side ways glance trying to call him dumb using just his eyes.

Thomas laughed loud and obnoxiously, and Newt had to suppress the urge to shut him up using force. He took another long drag of his cigarette and Thomas looked at him again.

“Yknow I don’t mind the staring, I find it endearing.” Thomas said, his voice dropping a few octaves as he stared at the other boy. Newt flipped him off.

“Damn alright then boy.” He sighed, “I was goin’t suggest I give you a lift but I think I’ll just see you later on tonight then.”

Thomas started walking away and Newt regretted his decision, his leg really was playing up and hobbling back to his aunts was something he felt he wasn’t even up to.

Thomas carried on walking away, and Newt thought rashly, “Wait!” Newt called out all of a sudden. And Thomas spun around quickly on his heels.

“Regretting your decision?” Thomas tantalised.

Newt nodded, and Thomas smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll go get my horse and come save you.” He winked, like he was some knight in shining armour. And Newt cursed his stupid leg for getting him in situations like this.

And soon enough Thomas returned, cowboy hat on and everything, astride his horse with a gentle smile on his face, sun shining down his nose.

“Need help getting up, baby?” Newt wanted to curse him from calling him that but couldn’t, words were stuck in his throat yet again.

He just nodded meekly and Thomas swung down from the horse effortlessly. He walked closer to Newt, face to face and reached his arms out. Newt placed his hands into the other boys and he was thrust, quite effortlessly, to his feet.

Then it didn’t take any more effort to help him onto the horse, and suddenly he was on a horse way too close to Thomas, a boy he had only met that day, who was so infuriatingly annoying.

“Put your hands on my shoulders so you don’t fall off?” He suggested, and Newt did as told, briefly recognising how toned his shoulders were, before shutting down that thought.

The ride towards Newt’s house was infuriatingly slow, and Newt was hyper aware of where his hands were placed.

But thankfully they arrived at the back door of Gally’s house pretty quickly, even if it felt like hours. Thomas swung down off of the horse quickly and helped Newt down with a smug look on his face. Newt nodded at him to thank him, the words from his mouth gone still.

And he hobbled over to the back door and entered the house, he only heard Thomas get back on his horse when the door had shut.

_ _ _

They arrived at the Murphey’s house promptly, just in time for a barbeque around the bonfire, Thomas’ mother opened the door and pulled his Aunt into a tight hug, then patting Gally on the back with a warm smile, then she finally turned to Newt. Her face was the exact same as Thomas, but her smile was warmer, not smug. “Heard about your folks boy, it's a damn shame.”

“Oh, he doesn't say much Lou,” His aunt interjected.

“That’s alright,” she extended her hand to Newt, and Newt took it, “He doesn't need to say much, I can tell he’s a nice boy” she smiled kindly and Newt smiled at her back.

She let them all into her house, and Newt was flashed by the amount of models and photos of Jesus she had around, crosses on the wall, photos on the mantel, many copies of the bible strewn around. Newt suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, he knew people in Texas were religious and that wasn’t the problem. He was suddenly conscious of his sexuality, and that he’d spent the past few weeks oogling at their son on his roof.

They led Newt's family into the back garden, where Thomas was tending to the fire and his father stood over the Barbeque, Mr Murphy gave the family a tight nod and Thomas looked up. He walked smiling at their family and took Gally into a brotherly hug.

“Gally, glad you could make it, man.” He said face warm, Newt walked away with his aunt letting his cousin and Thomas catch up.

The rest of the night went as smoothly as possible, apart from Gally and Thomas pissing him off the entire time with their loud obnoxious conversation. Good food was passed around and loud conversation that Newt could drift in the background to. Gally and Thomas had at some point snuck off and Newt didn’t question it, he just drifted with the flames till it was time to go.

His uncle nudged him, “Go find your cousin, I think he went behind the house with Tom.”

Newt nodded, and he walked behind the house, where his cousin and Thomas were passing a flask between one another.

He looked at Gally, then at Thomas, he was stuck for words so he just pointed to the house next to them, “Oh time to go?” Gally slurred.

Newt nodded and then he looked to where Thomas was staring at him, “Never asked, why don’t you say anything.” Newt looked at him dumbfounded. He was clearly drunk, body slouched slightly back, hair mused.

“You don’t have to answer that Newtie, ignore him.” Gally said, swaying back to the house leaving Newt pressed in place.

“Only said one word to me,” Thomas pressed on, “Come on, bet you can say something else.”

Newt shook his head.

“Your vocal chords don't work?” He asked again.

Newt shook his head again.

“Need a bit of liquid courage?” He waved the bottle around a bit, and Newt was feeling the dislike for the boy rise again. He shook his head again.

Thomas opened the bottle and got closer to Newt's face, “Just try it might help,” His breath stank of alcohol, he pressed the rim of the flask to Newt's lips. “Come on boy it might help.”

They were face to face, around the same height but Thomas was wearing boots.

He gripped the back of Newt's head, and tipped the flask back, he spluttered a bit but then let the liquid slip past his lips. It was warm and bitter but he let it come down. Thomas pulled back the flask, “atta boy,” He smiled.

“Say something?” He questioned, and Newt shoved him back, then gripped his shirt and pulled him forward again. The alcohol gave him back something he was missing since the car crash.

“Don’t you ever do anything like that ever again, don’t touch me get anywhere near me, you hear me you bloody cowboy. Now piss off, leave me alone.” Newt took a step back, feeling something in his stride, shocked at his own voice.

When he turned back Thomas looked stunned, and Newt marched up to the house.