Newt Imagines (The Maze Runner)

The Sting of Avoidance

Newt watches the Glade through a shield of greens and leaves. Say what you want about Track-hoes, but the job does certainly have its perks: for one thing, people rarely tend to notice you, which means that Newt can witness all of the incidents occurring throughout the Glade without anyone being the wiser to his presence. It's good for when Gally's in a murderous mood and Newt wants to stay out of it, and it's good for now, when Newt is doing his best to remain precipitously unseen.

He's just easing back around the protective cover of a few particularly large stalks when Newt realizes that he can't see the one person he's been looking at all along. Seconds before, he was doing his best not to stare too hard at the lone girl in the glade, the one just crossing from one side of the Glade to Alby's station in the Homestead, and now she's gone. Newt bites back the urge to curse, and then he feels a hand settle on his shoulder.

Newt whirls around in surprise, then mentally chides himself for it. He's supposed to be looking completely normal, like he isn't doing anything other than the typical array of gardening skills, but he's gone and wrecked his cover now. Indeed, the girl standing in front of him is regarding him with a faintly curious expression. "Well, Newt, what's got you in such a mix-up?"

Newt plasters on a smile. "Nothing much, Y/N. What's up with you?" She shakes her head slightly, a grin weaving its way onto her lips. "I don't know. I was just walking here when I realized that you might be avoiding me, and then the second I go to talk to you, you jump like you've seen a ghost. Have I done something wrong?" Newt shakes his head hurriedly. "I'm not avoiding you. I'm just, uh, very busy."

Y/N raises an eyebrow, glancing behind him at the mostly empty patch of dirt and mud known as the Glade gardens. They're in between planting seasons, with only some corn and plucky tomatoes tall enough to hide him from view. "Very busy. I can see that. Still doesn't explain why you've been avoiding me, though." Newt tries one last time for a way out. "I wasn't avoiding you. Why would you think that?"

Y/N folds her arms across her chest. "I don't know, maybe the fact that you never seem to sit next to me at meals anymore, you make sure Minho or Chuck or Thomas or any one of the other Gladers is in between us at the bonfires, and I don't think you've actually set out to speak to me in a week. If you're not careful, I might think that you're actually starting to hate me." At this last sentence, something wears away from Y/N's expression, rendering the formerly tough-as-nails facade as transparent as glass. Maybe Newt's gone a little too far with this after all.

Then again, it's not like he was trying to upset her in the first place. In complete honesty, Newt has been avoiding Y/N, although he thought that he wasn't being as obvious about it. It's just that they were supposed to be friends, but recently Newt keeps getting this funny feeling in his chest whenever he sees her, like even one word exchanged with Y/N would be enough to keep him happy for a month. He had hoped that simply not seeing her as often would let him return to normal, but apparently not.

And, to make things worse, he's gone and upset Y/N in the process. Wonderful. So, Newt squares his shoulders, sets his jaw, and does his best to get himself out of the situation. "I'm sorry, Y/N, really. I didn't mean to make you feel like that. How about this: there's a bonfire tonight, Gally insisted, and I won't leave your side the entire time, even when you get sick of me." Y/N's face breaks into a happy grin, and Newt feels a rush of relief wash over him.

"I think that sounds excellent. Although, if you're aiming to rid yourself of me, I don't get sick of people unless they're Builders or Chuck on his tenth round of questioning. You'll have to find a better way to escape." Newt snorts, allowing himself to lean a little closer to Y/N, just because he can. "Are you sure about that? I'm awfully tricky." Y/N rolls her eyes, although she's trying hard to contain a laugh, Newt can tell. "Now you've got me a little nervous, but I'm sticking to it. I'll see you tonight, then." As she walks off, Newt manages a brief wave. He'll see her tonight. What has he gotten himself into?