Gally Imagines

=FIFTEEN= Treetop Escape

"Here, let me get that hammer for you!"

"It's fine, I've got it," you replied, slightly annoyed as the other Builder picked it up and handed it to you nonetheless.

You sighed.

"I'm gonna get a drink," you said, then called, "I'll be right back, Gally!"

Gally nodded, giving you the okay as Keeper.

"I'll get it for you!" piped up a Glader.

"No, I'll get it!" countered another.

"Guys, chill, I'm getting Y/N's water," said yet another.

You glanced at Gally and rolled your eyes. He returned your eye roll, then jerked his head, motioning for you to go ahead before the others realized that you had gone.

You took a deep gulp of the refreshing, cool rainwater from a crude, metal ladle and splashed some on your forehead. Gathering your hair, you began to tie it up in a ponytail when Zart sauntered up to you and leaned his arm on the barrel of rainwater.

"Hey, Y/N." he said with a raise of his eyebrows.

Was that seriously his way of flirting? Ugh, these guys had been in the Glade too long!

"What's up?" he said, after receiving no answer.

"The sky." You dropped the ladle into the water, creating a splash to which Zart jumped to escape.

You were in no mood for this. Half of the boys in the Glade had already flirted with you, and the other half was still trying. At first it was entertaining to watch them try to outdo each other to gain your attention, but now it was just annoying and you wished they'd just stop. If only you and Gally were officially boyfriend and girlfriend! That would so those shanks! They wouldn't dare flirt with Gally's girl. Gally's girl. You liked the sound of that.

"Hey, Babe!"

You shoved past another Glader without so much as a glance. Ugh! Why wouldn't they just leave you alone already!? You quickened your pace, wanting to look to busy so as not to be stopped by anyone else, when you sensed someone standing in front of you.

"Hey."

"Will you just-!" you began to shout, then the voice finally registered in your mind. Gally! "Oh! Gally, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you..."

"What's wrong, Y/N?" he asked.

You ran into him, throwing your arms around his waist, and he hugged you tightly.

"I hate all the other Gladers staring at me like I was some sort of a prize that they could win! I hate it! I'm yours, Gally, and I hate them acting like I'm not!"

"Hey, shhhh, it's alright," said Gally. "It's okay."

You sniffed and tried to focus on the steady beating of his heart, calming you.

"Hey, I have an idea," he said suddenly.

You looked up at his shining green eyes and sniffed again. "What?"

"Come on!" Gally took your hand and began leading you into the woods.

"Where are we going?" you asked. "Don't we need to get back?"

"They can live without us for a few minutes," he insisted, pulling you along, "Come on!"

Gally lead you into the woods. Every now and then he would pause, looking up at a tree, then moving on, apparently unsatisfied. Finally he stopped in front of a large tree with stout branches. Letting go of your hand, he jumped and caught the lowest branch, hoisting himself up, then extended a hand towards you. You frowned in confusion, but he just smiled, so you grasped his hands and he pulled you up after him. You continued higher into the tree, Gally shielding you with his body, making sure you didn't slip and fall. You were both up pretty high when he finally motioned for you to stop. Then he pulled his knife from his belt and knelt on the branch, pushing the blade into the trunk of the tree. After a while of scratching, the shape of a heart began to immerge, and you smiled, realizing what he was doing, and fingered the small, wooden heart around your neck.

After carving his initial, he passed the knife to you. "Your turn."

Smiling, you took the knife and began chipping away, slowly etching your first initial into the wood.

"Perfect," said Gally as you finished and handed the knife back to him.

He smiled, triggering yours. You loved Gally's smile, and seeing it made you giddy, and you couldn't help but snicker, which turned into giggles, and then laughter.

"Wh-what?" asked Gally, smile broadening.

You continued to laugh, and Gally's shoulders began to shake as your giggle fit spread to him. You were laughing for no apparent reason, and he had simply joined in with no judgment or speculation on your part. He was wonderful! His bright eyes shone from the creases of wrinkles around them, created by his uplifted cheeks, as he laughed through his smile, white teeth gleaming. Oh, how you loved him!

After a while, you both tried to calm yourselves, but each time you looked in his direction, the adorable half-frozen smile on his face would set you off once more, causing him to be dragged back into it, and the process would be repeated all over again.

Finally the light-hearted laughter subsided enough for you both to breathe, and you each kept your eyes on a branch instead of each other, which helped to return sanity.

"I love you," said Gally unexpectedly.

You looked into his eyes and smiled. "I love you too."

He moved forward, and-taking the hint-you leaned in, waiting in anticipation for his soft, warm lips to hit yours. Suddenly, your knee slipped and you scrambled wildly to hang on to the branch, but you were quickly falling. At the last second, Gally's arms were around your waist, and your back was pulled safely into his chest.

"Whoa!" he said as he caught you, "Careful there, Babe!"

You laughed, "I'm sorry, I was lost in your magnificent eyes."

Gally chuckled as he tightened his grip, "Well then, I guess I better not let go any time soon."

You giggled as he nuzzled your cheek with his nose, then pressed his lips to yours. It was magical being up there, kissing your best friend in the entire Glade, safely away from other Builders' prying eyes.

There was a sudden, loud snap, and you both looked downward to see Thomas' form, momentarily frozen from the sharp noise, as he had tried to make his way away from the tree where you were.

"Thomas," came Gally's rough, questioning, almost accusing voice.

Thomas turned around with a somewhat guilty expression on his face. "Sorry, guys. I was told to go and look for you, but by the time I realized-I mean, I didn't want to interrupt...again." He was floundering. "Sorry."

"It's alright," said Gally, but you knew his voice well enough to detect the slight irritation that was masked beneath those words. "We should be getting back anyway."

Thomas smiled and nodded as if he agreed, then continued to stand where he was.

"Do you mind?" asked Gally, and you smiled, knowing that Thomas would be able to hear the annoyance in Gally's voice that time.

"Oh! Right! Uh...I'll tell the other Builders you're coming, then," said Thomas as he made his way quickly back to the Glade.

Gally rolled his eyes, and you smiled, shaking your head as he took your chin in his hand and pushed his lips into yours.