No More

Summary: Thomas isn't going to lose anyone else. Written for the belt or strap square in the Advent Holiday Bingo
Pairing: Thomas/Newt – slash
Warning(s): Spanking; minor spoilers for The Maze Runner and The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials; MAJOR spoilers for The Maze Runner: The Death Cure; references to violence towards children and teenagers; AU; probable unsafe medical practises
Author's Note: Not really a follow-on to the other Maze Runner fics, but could be considered set in the same 'verse

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Thomas knew what Newt was looking for: a quick agreement. That he would put Minho first, even if it meant sacrificing Newt. Even if it meant losing his best friend. He'd already lost so many of the other kids he cared about back in the Glade.

“You understand me, right, Tommy?” Newt focused fully on him. “I mean it. You save Minho. No matter what it takes. He's too important.”

“Yeah...he's important,” Thomas agreed. “But not more important than you.”

Newt shook his head and stared down at the black markings on his arm. There was a tense set to his shoulders and he was hunched forward slightly. He peered over the edge of the building, almost like he was thinking about outright throwing himself off.

Thomas breathed deeply, forcing away the stab of fear that Newt's words had raised in him. He stepped over and crouched down next to Newt, reaching out and grasping the other boy's face in his hands. Turning Newt's head towards him, he leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

Newt's lips were soft and warm and even though the Flare had started to take hold, when Thomas cupped the side of his head, he couldn't feel any difference. He kept his eyes open, but Newt closed his and leaned into the kiss, parting his lips slightly.

And then he pulled away. “It's a good thing you're immune, otherwise I think you'd definitely be infected now.”

“Is that all you have to say?” Thomas asked, surprised.

Newt snorted and looked away. “I think it's pretty obvious that you only kissed me because you think I have a death wish.”

Thomas opened his mouth, but then closed it again. He'd planned on retorting that of course he thought Newt had had a death wish; but if he did that, it would be telling the other boy that was the only reason he'd kissed him. And it wasn't that at all. “I didn't kiss you because I thought it would change your mind, Newt.”

“You want to go in after Teresa,” Newt replied. “And it's glaringly obvious Brenda's attracted to you. So if you didn't kiss me out of some misguided attempt to change my mind...where do I fit in?”

“Where do you fit in?” Thomas echoed. “You...you're my best friend, Newt.”

“I know I don't have my memories back, but I'm also not stupid. You didn't kiss me like we're best friends.” Newt pushed his sleeve back down, covering the mark of the Flare.

“I don't want you to die,” Thomas whispered.

Newt shook his head and pushed himself up. “I'm not saying I want to die.”

But he wouldn't fight to stay alive either. Thomas quickly stood and before Newt could move away, he grabbed the other boy's arm, pulled him towards him and swatted his backside.

Newt froze, body pressed against Thomas', his arm still held fast. “You just smacked me.”

“Yeah. I did.” Thomas wrapped his arm tightly around Newt's waist.

“Spanking me isn't going to change my mind.”

“Wanna bet?” Newt was close enough that his head was brushing against Thomas' cheek. If Thomas moved his head another inch or so, he could kiss the other boy again. Instead, he swatted him again.

“Very funny, mate.” Newt pulled back. “I'm going back in.”

Thomas followed his movement, tightening his hold on Newt's arm. He quickly sat down on the ground and tugged Newt down, pulling the other boy across his lap and twisting his arm up behind his back so he could hold Newt more easily.

Newt didn't try to pull free of Thomas' grasp, instead saying, in an almost conversational tone, “When you let me up, I'm going to kick your ass.”

“You think I'm the only one who should be answerable to someone if I do something wrong?” Thomas tugged Newt's pants and underwear down, baring his backside, and lifted his hand, bringing it down in a firm smack. His palm landing made a crisp smacking sound and he winced, glancing towards the doorway. When no one appeared, he repeated the smack and then delivered another one, leaving behind palm prints just a shade darker than Newt's skin.

“I just told you to make sure you saved Minho!” Newt responded, his voice strained.

“At the expense of your life.” Thomas continued the smacks down to Newt's thighs before he started over from the top again. “You're asking me to choose between you...and I'm not gonna do that. I won't do that.”

Newt's legs jerked when Thomas reached his thighs for the second time and he said, in a strained voice, “Minho's my friend. He's your friend. And we don't know exactly what he's going through, but we know it isn't anything good.”

“I'm not saying that. But I'm telling you I won't be losing you. Not if I can help it.” Thomas began smacking with a bit more force.

“What do you want from me?” Newt demanded.

“I want you to accept that you're just as important as Minho. That I'm not going to save him at the expense of you.”

“Okay. I get that,” Newt replied. “So you can let me up now.”

Thomas let his hand rest on Newt's bottom, rubbing it gently, feeling the faint warmth from the smacks he'd already delivered. “I have feelings for you.”

“Are you spanking me to convince me of that?”

“No. I'm spanking you to make sure you remember that you're important. That I'm not going to sacrifice you to save someone else.” Thomas took a deep breath. “And if you try to do that...if you try to act like your life isn't as important as mine, or as Minho's, I'll be putting you over my knee again, but I'll be taking off my belt.”

“You're not going to do that anyway?”

Thomas glanced up towards the doorway, surprised to see Gally standing framed there.

“Oh, that's just great,” Newt muttered, dropping his head into his free hand. He didn't try to push himself up, though.

“What are you doing here, Gally?” Thomas asked, wondering just how much he'd heard.

“You've been gone for a while. I was getting worried.”

“Why? It's not like we're going to leave,” Thomas replied, unable to help the hostile note in his voice.

“Thomas? If you try beating him up again, that ass kicking I promised you? Is gonna happen as soon as you let me up,” Newt muttered.

“Hey, look...I'll give you some privacy.” Gally cleared his throat. “But you know, Newt was in charge of corporal punishment back in the Glade. And what I did...a spanking would be so much less than what I really deserve.”

Thomas glanced down at Newt across his lap, staring at the back of the blond head. He let his hand rub gently over the other boy's bottom as he thought about what Gally was asking. “Okay...why don't you wait inside and I'll call you back when we're done here?” he suggested.

“Okay.” Gally nodded and stepped back inside.

“You didn't answer his question,” Newt commented, relaxing over Thomas' lap.

“You think I should use my belt?”

“Thomas, I wouldn't let you dictate to me how I punished you. But if you want to know how I'd react to you saying those things to me? I'd be using a lot more than just my hand.”

“I love you, Newt.” The words came out weaker than Thomas had intended. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I love you.” It came out firmer this time. “I thought...with Teresa...but even if there was something between us before, it's you. It's got to be you. Because when you told me that I had to choose between you and Minho...that I might have to choose him over you...it felt like you were tearing my heart out of my chest.”

“But the Flare....”

“I bought Brenda time with the enzyme in my blood. I don't know if it would work to just do a blood transfusion, but maybe it would at least buy you time.”

“That can't be safe.”

“What's the alternative? Let you die? At least this way, you have a chance.” Thomas swallowed and slowly began removing his belt. “But you've got to keep on hoping. If you lose hope, then I'm gonna lose you. And I can't face that.”

Newt stiffened up slightly, but he didn't voice a protest. Instead, he said quietly, “I'm sorry, Tommy. Really sorry.”

“I know.” Thomas doubled the belt over and brought it down across the centre of Newt's backside.

Newt jumped, hissing out a sharp breath. He grunted when the belt landed a second time and whimpered softly when it struck a third time.

Thomas brought the belt down a full dozen times, Newt's backside turning red from the crest to his thighs. The other boy slumped over his lap, crying softly, and Thomas dropped his belt and rubbed Newt's lower back, listening as the sobs quietened down to sniffles and slight hiccups.

“I'm sorry,” Newt whispered again. “I...don't know why you want me to stick around, but I promise I'll keep on fighting.”

Thomas carefully pulled Newt's clothing back into place and helped the other boy to stand up, standing with him. He cupped Newt's face in his hands and pressed their lips together.

Newt wrapped his arms around Thomas and returned the kiss, deepening it. He let his head drop gently against Thomas' shoulder and sighed. “You think maybe you should call Gally back now?”

No. What Thomas wanted was to sit and hold Newt and make out with him while they were relatively safe. He wanted to put his blood into Newt's body and hope that it would halt the progress of the Flare. Even if the other boy needed more than one transfusion, he was willing to keep doing it as long as it took. “I guess.”

Newt kissed Thomas' neck and then pulled back. “We've got time.”

“Yeah...okay.” Thomas took a deep breath and turned to call Gally back.

To be continued....