Newt Imagines (The Maze Runner)

Men and Tea

Is it a terribly dark day, or is it just you? You're used to life in the Maze. You're used to the constant feeling of never being able to fully relax, all because of the walls shading your back with every step you take. Sure, you can hang out with your friends, and laugh and joke all you want, but at the end of the day you're still stuck in the Glade, with no way out. It's wearing on you today, this knowledge. It's wearing on everyone.

Everyone can sense it, too. Eventually Alby has had enough of seeing everyone moping around and announces that there's going to be a Bonfire Night later in the day, which makes the Gladers perk up a little. Bonfire Nights are usually reserved for Greenie Days or particularly thrilling celebrations, so the fact that Alby's given in and let one happen tonight should say enough about the overall atmosphere of the Glade.

But hey- it's a Bonfire Night. Forget about the reason for it happening in the first place, forget everything about today and the days before. Tonight, at last, you'll be able to throw caution to the winds and just have a good time. You've heard rumors that Gally's sprinting to cook up extra batches of his brew in time for the night, so whatever happens, at least you'll have some form of entertainment.

Newt swings by to talk to you around midday, about half an hour after Alby gives the announcement that you'll be having Bonfire Night at all. He leans against a nearby tree, grinning in spite of himself. "You heard the news, Y/N?" You chuckle to yourself. "Kind of hard to avoid it. I think Chuck's been running around telling everybody like he's some kind of messenger. I think he believes Alby sent him out personally."

Newt can't help but grin at that. "Chuck, Alby's dedicated worker. Never thought I'd say those words in the same sentence." You smile along with him. "I suppose it only took a Bonfire Night to get the kid to focus on something. Funny." Newt considers this a moment longer, then steps a little closer. "Got anything planned for tonight?"

You sigh, drumming your hands against your legs while you think. "Nothing specific, I think. I'll hang out with you, Minho, and the rest, make sure everyone gets too drunk to think straight, and laugh through whatever happens." Newt nods sagely. "Sounds like a plan." You cock an eyebrow at him. "Why'd you ask? Are you doing anything?"

Newt shakes his head a little too quickly. "No, nothing. I just, uh, wanted to make sure you'd be there." You give him an incredulous look. "Was there any question of it? If Alby's willing to give us lousy shanks a Bonfire Night when there aren't even any Greenies to get underfoot, I'm not about to pass that up."

You walk past Newt, tapping him lightly on the shoulder as you go. "I'll see you there, then?" Newt watches you go with a faint smile. "Yeah, you will. See you, Y/N." You wave goodbye over your shoulder. Strange that he should come over just to ask if you'd be at the Bonfire Night, but you're not sure that you mind.

In truth, you could never hold Newt visiting you against him. You've been harboring a soft spot for the blond Track-Hoe for a long time now. You'd been friends for a while, basically since the day you arrived in the Glade as a disoriented and utterly bewildered Greenie, but sometime in between you getting your bearings and coming to recognize the Glade as your only true home, you'd gone and fallen for him.

You think you've done a good job of covering up your little crush, though. Sure, you catch your gaze lingering on Newt for a few moments longer than it should, but you're quick to play it off. Minho might suspect something, but he tends to tease Newt about you more than he teases you about Newt, which confuses you, but never leads anywhere. In the end, you have your friendship with Newt, and even if you find yourself hoping that it would go a little farther, you're happy enough to have him beside you on dark nights and early mornings.

The end of the day cannot arrive soon enough. Minho and Thomas look thrilled to hear the news once they come jogging out of the Maze, with Minho swearing that he'll personally thank Alby on his hands and knees for letting the Gladers have their night of fun. Thomas snorts, and cracks some joke about never being able to see Minho willingly be shorter than somebody. The three of you dissolve into laughter.

There's a voice from behind you, and you turn to see Newt walking up to greet Minho and Thomas. Although he says that he's there to give the news of the Bonfire Night to the Runners in case they hadn't heard it before, you do notice that Newt's eyes seem to linger on you more than they do either of the other boys. Minho sees it too, you think, although every time the dark-haired Runner tries to bring it up, Newt smoothly cuts him off to talk about something else.

At last, Minho gives up on his efforts, and takes off with Thomas to catalogue their run in the Map Room. Newt turns to you, noting the quickly darkening sky. "I think they're starting soon. Want to head over?" You nod happily. "This is going to be great."

And it is. Bonfire Nights rarely disappoint, and tonight's no exception. You help ignite the haphazard pile of logs and sticks dragged over by the Builders, and stand for a while by the growing bonfire, watching the way the flames lick and spit over the wood, crawling up every available inch of space until the fire itself seems to stretch all the way up to touch the sky. It casts a golden glow over everything, and the very air seems to vibrate with heat and pure joy.

You think you could stand there for a long time, just taking it all in, but soon enough a hand tugs at your arm. You look over to see Minho pulling you over to a corner of the bonfire, where Newt, Thomas, and Teresa all sit, piled on logs and the ground. He passes you a glass of Gally's secret drink before downing some of his own. You take your first swallow, and are greeted as always by a taste fiery enough to rival even the nearby flames of the bonfire. It's bitter and then sweet, cutting yet addicting, and it's become such a familiar taste that you smile at it.

A few feet away, Teresa pulls a face after drinking some of her own cup of brew. "Honestly, I don't know how you guys can stand this stuff. It's a little awful." Newt shrugs. "Yeah, but that's kind of the whole point. It grows on you after a while." You nod fervently. "If it's not just bad enough to make you question why you're drinking it, it's not worth it." Newt nudges your shoulder with his own. "Exactly."

As the night wears on, and you and your friends progress through your drinks, you can feel your worries starting to lift away from you. See, this is why Alby knew a Bonfire Night would be perfect to counter the seemingly endless monotony of life at the Glade- no matter what, you'll have a good time tonight. You find yourself laughing until tears prick at the corners of your eyes, sharing stories until your throat is hoarse. You're not sure how well you'll be doing tomorrow morning, but hell, you have tonight, and that's enough for you.

Teresa's sharing some joke about how she swears that half the Builders tried to flirt with her until they realized that she was dating Thomas. You raise your drink in understanding. "Tell me about it. So many of you shanks wouldn't leave me alone the second I showed up." Minho snorts. "I remember that. You were the first girl in the Glade and everyone was staring like you were an alien. Didn't Alby try to pass some rule about how we couldn't come within two feet of you just to stave them off?"

You laugh, remembering those days of old. Sometimes, it's strange to think about how long you've spent in the Glade, and how fast things change even when you swear that they aren't changing at all. "Yeah, and it was awful. I think I made him repeal it within a week, it just hindered everything. I mean, everyone learned soon enough, right? Besides, no offense, but like none of you guys are my type."

Teresa raises an eyebrow. "Then what is your type?" You grin now, you can't help yourself. "Let's just say that I like my men the way I like my tea." You wait a beat, then continue. "Hot and British." Beside you, Newt chokes on his brew. He tries to cover it up, but your grin is even broader now. Minho raises an eyebrow. "Got something to say, Newt?"

Newt attempts a casual shrug, although it does nothing to erase the surprise in his eyes. "Well, I'm British." Your gaze is steady when it meets his. "Yeah, I know." Newt looks at you for a second longer, then shrugs off his worries and leans forward to kiss you. Minho and Thomas erupt in twin howls of surprise and pride when he does, but you can't care at all. All you care about is kissing him back, and the fire in your chest that feels even brighter than the bonfire. Maybe you do have to thank Alby for tonight after all.