A Multifandom Collection of Short Stories

18: The Nosebleed-Newt

The air in the Scorch was dry. So dry. The effects of the high heat were numerous. Sunburns, heat strokes, dehydration. But what you suffered from most were the nosebleeds. Your nasal walls just couldn't handle the dryness. It felt like you were bleeding constantly. Right now was one of the few moments where you didn't have a handkerchief pressed to your dripping nose. A crazy rainstorm had passed through, moistening the air just a little and leaving a pleasant petrichor.
Newt has been worried about you. You had already confessed that you had feelings for each other, back in the Maze, but nothing really came of it. You would get light-headed from the blood loss, and he's been by your side for most of the trek through the Scorch.
It was close to dusk and you were all sleeping. You awoke from yet another nightmare, and you shot bolt upright. You felt the wet sensation in your nose and quickly grabbed the white—now stained pink—cloth as a drop of blood dripped to the sandy ground.
"Shuck it," you mumble under your breath. You clutch the napkin to your nose and lean forward.
"Are you alright, y/n?" You hear Newt's soft voice from behind you.
"Could be better," you respond. The sun was dipping steadily behind the horizon. You watch as he sits next to you. This nosebleed does not seem to stop. You feel the warm liquid run down to your top lip, the metallic taste settling there.
"That looks really bad," Newt observes.
"It doesn't hurt. Just gets annoying after the 70th time," you say, making him chuckle a bit.
You felt the bleeding stop and you blew your nose a little to get any last blood out. You pull the cloth away from your nose and Newt lets out a small laugh.
"It's all over my face isn't it?" You ask.
"Yeah. Here, I'll help you." He takes the cloth from you and wets the corner—one without blood—on his tongue. He gently dabs at your nose and lips. You sit there making funny faces at him as he tries to clean your face.
He gets the blood off and leans back on his hands to look at your face. He gives you an adoring smile. It's the first time you've really seen him smile since you entered the Scorch. Then he starts to frown and brings the blood-soaked cloth back up to your face. You suddenly notice the feeling of blood running back down your upper lip.
You groan. He holds the cloth to your nose and you put your hand over his, but he doesn't move his hand. He holds your nose and looks at you worriedly.
"I'm fine. I think," you say, your voice sounding funny because your nose is blocked. You sit in silence for a few minutes, and he eventually moves his hand.
"I'd kiss you if you weren't going to bleed all over me," Newt says into the silence. The statement takes you slightly by surprise, but you're not phased that easily.
"Are you sure you don't want my blood all over your face? I'd think you'd actually look handsome."
"That hurts my feelings, y/n."
"That's too bad." You lean your head onto Newt's shoulder.
The bleeding finally stops again, and this time for good, you hope. You repeat the process of wiping off your face.
"This sucks," you mumble, leaning back down onto his shoulder and watching the sunset.

A/N
I know this is short and kinda bad, but I had good intentions when I started. None of my plot lines really came together, but whatever lol.
~V