Since arriving at the Safe Haven, you couldn't understand what his deal was. Thomas had fought so hard to get everyone here, lost so much in the process, yet he barely acknowledged your presence anymore. Salt air stung your eyes as you watched him stare out at the shoreline alone, shoulders tense like he was still carrying the weight of the maze. Newt noticed your gaze and squeezed your shoulder reassuringly, but even his comfort couldn't shake the hollow feeling in your chest.

The community was rebuilding, finding purpose in construction and farming, but there was an unspoken tension that ran deeper than just survival fatigue. Thomas grew distant whenever you were near, his jaw tight and eyes averted, while Teresa lingered at the edges of group conversations with her usual awkward timing. At least Frypan's cooking hadn't changed, his meals still brought everyone together even when words failed.

"You've been assigned to the eastern gardens." His first direct words to you in weeks, delivered with that same careful distance he'd maintained since everything fell apart. The hurt must have shown on your face because something flickered in his eyes before he turned away, Teresa calling his name from somewhere behind you both—he hesitated, but didn't stop walking.