Thomas nodded, eyes on the rippling water instead of on Derek. Before the Scorch, not handling it had meant Thomas had actually made himself sleep. It'd been a temporary balm to his problems but it'd been the only way he'd had to escape it all. In the Maze, he could run to the Deadheads, hide out there until Chuck or Newt or Minho came and found him. After their staged rescue, he'd tried to sleep everything away.

Here, it was easy to be alone, to retreat inside the private apartment they'd give him and stalk around each room like a caged animal. When the apartment got to be too small, he could run. He could run until his lungs burned and sweat burned his eyes.

Thomas looked up at Derek and nodded. He didn't know if he could necessarily do what Derek was asking but he didn't want to admit that out, not out loud. He had to handle everything, had to keep it together.

"Easier said than done but yeah," he breathed, squinting up at the sun, testing it, making sure it wouldn't burn and scar him. All it did was make his vision wobble for a second or two. With black spots dotting his vision, Thomas flicked some water back Derek's way. "I think I'll take a pass on the all fours thing, though. I don't need a backache to go along with all my other problems."