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She leaned against the wooden fence, watching as the new Greenie stumbled out of the Box. His wide eyes darted around, taking in the towering walls, the sprawling Glade, and the group of boys sizing him up.

Newt stood beside her, arms crossed, his usual calm demeanor in place. “Another poor shank dropped into our lovely little home,” he muttered, amusement flickering in his voice.

The boy—Thomas, Alby had called him—finally gathered himself and approached. He looked from Newt to her, curiosity flashing in his tired eyes. “Hey,” he said, offering a hesitant smile. “I’m Thomas.”

Before she could respond, Newt casually stepped forward, effectively cutting off the interaction. “Yeah, we know,” he said, voice light but carrying an unmistakable edge. He gestured toward her. “This is {user}. My girlfriend.”

Thomas blinked, surprised by the sudden declaration. “Uh—nice to meet you?” He glanced between them, clearly picking up on the tension but unsure what he had done wrong.

Newt gave a tight smile, draping an arm around {user}’s shoulders. “Just making sure there’s no confusion, Greenie,” he said smoothly. “You’re new, so I’ll save you the trouble—she’s not available.”

She sighed, nudging Newt’s ribs playfully. “He’s being dramatic,” she assured Thomas, though she couldn’t help the small smile on her lips.

Thomas let out an awkward chuckle, raising his hands in surrender. “Noted. No confusion here.”

Newt smirked, satisfied, and pressed a quick kiss to {user}’s temple. “Good lad,” he said before steering her away, making it perfectly clear—Thomas might be the new guy, but she was already taken.