The mute [Maze runner Minho X OC]

Chapter one

Piper took her time in the shower, letting the warm water stream over her face and shoulders, melting away the grime and exhaustion of the past two years in the Maze. She stood under the spray, eyes closed, just breathing in the humid air, trying to remember the last time she'd felt so safe, so... clean. She hadn't seen herself in ages, hadn't had a moment like this in ages. She took a deep breath, the steam thick around her as she finally turned off the water and reached for a towel, wrapping it tightly around her shoulders.

Stepping out, she grabbed another towel and rubbed it through her hair, a quiet relief filling her as the last bits of water dripped to the floor. She wiped the steam from the mirror and leaned in, staring at her own reflection for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.

Her face was thinner, her cheekbones more defined. Dark circles lay beneath her eyes, remnants of endless days of fear, running, and survival. She noticed a small scar near her temple, a memory of a fall on sharp rocks while escaping a Griever. Her blonde hair, though still tangled from years of rough living, gleamed now, free of dirt and grit. Slowly, she touched her face, as if to confirm that it was really hers.

Just then, Teresa stepped out of the shower next to her, fully dressed in the clean clothes they'd been given. She watched Piper through the fogged-up mirror, curiosity in her eyes.

"How long has it been since you've seen yourself?" Teresa asked gently, leaning against the counter.

Piper turned to look at her, holding up two fingers in response.

"Two years?" Teresa's eyes widened with a mix of disbelief and sympathy. Piper nodded, going back to drying her hair with the towel.

Teresa smiled slightly. "I'd like to ask more, but..." She hesitated, embarrassed. "I probably wouldn't understand half of what you're signing."

A soft laugh escaped Piper, a quiet chuckle she hadn't realized she'd missed making. She gave Teresa a playful roll of her eyes, glancing down at her hands and mimicking exaggerated hand movements, as if to say, ''It's your loss!'' Teresa grinned in response, catching the joke.

They stood in a comfortable silence, the only sounds the dripping of water and the brushing of hair as Piper reached for a hairbrush left on the counter. Slowly, she pulled it through her damp strands, savoring the sensation of each tug, each stroke. It was a luxury she hadn't even dared to think about all those days and nights in the Maze. She watched herself as the tangles disappeared, her hair settling in soft waves around her shoulders. She felt... like herself, but also different—changed.

"Piper," Teresa started, glancing sideways at her, "does it feel weird? All this... normal stuff?"

Piper paused, looking over at Teresa and then back at herself in the mirror. She nodded, pressing a hand to her chest as if to say, ''It's overwhelming'', and then added with a gentle smile, ''But good.''

Teresa watched her carefully, then nodded in understanding. "I get it. I do. I don't think any of us thought we'd get out of there." She looked down, biting her lip as if she wanted to say something more but couldn't quite bring herself to do it. "Seeing yourself after all that... It makes you realize what you lost. And what's left."

Piper met Teresa's gaze in the mirror, their eyes holding for a moment in mutual understanding. Even without words, they shared something—two girls who had come out of a nightmare, carrying the weight of what they'd endured. Piper nodded, a solemn glimmer in her eyes, and gave Teresa's arm a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

With clean clothes and a sense of renewal, Piper ran her fingers through her freshly brushed hair one more time and stepped back from the mirror. She glanced over at Teresa, giving her a smile that said, ''We made it this far.'' Teresa smiled back, and together, they stepped out of the bathroom, leaving behind the reflection of the two changed girls who were ready, in their own way, for whatever came next.