The Inventor

Chapter Twelve; "Runner boy"

You don't know how long it had been but it was nightfall, no light coming in through the peephole and the wall stood strong while the two of you sat in the small room. Eventually the griever gave up and went to roam the catacombs. That left the two of you to have some quiet, not having talked for the longest time.

     Minho swallowed, "Did the thing work?"

     "Of course it did," You said, a lot more confident than you were the first time you tried it.

     "Good, so, we aren't going to get banished to the death maze if we get back?"

     "I would say we have a solid sixty-forty chance of living," You nodded as if this was great news.

     "Fantastic," He said sarcastically.

     Another long silence.

     "Are you sure?" He asked finally.

     "What do you mean, am I sure? Of course I'm sure, I'm always sure."

     "No, no - Woah that was a complex- but no, I mean that Nick guy said something about you getting kicked out no matter how important you are," He explained.

     "Oh," For a moment he thought he saw something of anxiousness cross your features, your foot started to jiggle back and forth, "Yeah, of course I'm sure, it was just a bluff."

     "You don't seem sure."

     "Of course I am, I have to be."

     He didn't know why but that sent a pang to his heart, an annoying feeling he hadn't felt before. He felt scared, scared that this will all get you in trouble, scared that you'll get banished and killed.

     "Hey, I've got your back. Okay?" He assured you, "Promise."

     He put a hand on your knee to stop your leg from shaking and you instinctively grabbed his hand.

     You quickly took your hand away and cleared your throat but he didn't, moving closer and shimmying around to get comfortable.

     "You just gonna keep your hand there?" You asked a little hoarsely.

     "Does it bother you?" He asked right back.

     You made eye contact but broke it just ask quickly, hoping the darkness could hide any form of embarrassment rising in your face, "No."

     "Then I'll keep it here, thanks."

     So, in return, you rested your head on his shoulder. Listening to each other's breaths as you sat out the long night ahead.

Present Day
     You dragged yourself to the showers, changed, looked as sober as possible but the sky was incredibly too bright and you had a vendetta against the sun.

     You filled a ratty messenger bag with supplies you guessed you would need. A dead griever, this was everything you ever wanted to see, to finally get your hands on one of the disgusting little puzzles you couldn't ever figure out.

     You changed out your brace for the long distance running one, grinning. It was so out of use and it gave you a giddy feeling to get to use it again. When you stood up it felt like it felt the same, hyper and all new and shiny.

     The sun was almost up, setting the sky alight in a way that sent a splintering headache ricocheting through your skull.

     "Stupid sky, why's the sky so fucking bright?" You threw stuff around, crashing through boxes until you found a pair of usable sunglasses and a flask you filled with water from the sink.

     You heard Alby yell from somewhere outside your door and Chuck found his way up from the bed to munch on a granola bar.

     "I'm coming!" You yelled.

     "Have a good day," Chuck mumbled through a mouthful of raisin granola. He held out one for you on your way to the door and you took it, ripping it open with your teeth.

     "You too little man!" You gave a little wave with your hand that held your flask and pushed the door open, letting it swing close with a bang behind you.

     "Y/n I swear to whoever put us in this shuck maze!" Alby yelled, waving a finger in your face.

     You batted it away, stopping in front of the maze doors to put your flask in your bag that was wrapped securely around your torso, "Don't swear to them, they don't give a klunk. Gonna blow us up the minute we find an exit."

     "You are a real pain, you know that!"

     You bite into your granola bar, only half paying attention, "I'm ever so flattered."

     He made a frustrating choking movement with his hands, as if he wanted to strangle you, and moved aside to wait for the doors to open. And behind him was Minho, stretching out his arms as if he was going to run on those instead of his legs.

     You walked up and stood beside him, waiting for the doors as well, you side glanced him up and down and rolled your eyes.

     "What?" He asked, already annoyed by your presence.

     "Did I say anything?"

     "You're looking at me like I'm some vermin."

     You thought for a moment, "Well, close enough."

     "Wonderful, so glad I get to spend the day with you," He narrowed his eyes at you, "You're not even sober."

     "And you are, your loss."

     He made a sound of disgust, "Can you even take one thing seriously?"

     "Wouldn't you like to know Runner Boy."

     "You're a buggin 'twerp."

     You threw your head back and laughed, "And you wouldn't have your job if it wasn't for me. You're useless except for how fast your little legs can run."

     "And your only use in life is tinkering away in your cave. At least I'm out here doing something."

     "You ain't doing anyone with that outfit."

     "If I hear one more word between the two of you, both of you will be spending the night in the slammer!"

     Minho rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

     "Eye-eye paps."

     "This is why I don't put you two within a five mile radius! Like little cats always hissing and spitting, little shuck heads."

     The ground gave a tremendous tremble as the doors started to move apart, showing the Maze you knew so well. You swallowed the panic that clogged in your throat, grasped your hands behind your back to stop them from trembling.

     The Maze wasn't a happy place, not anymore. There was a time when it made you feel free in some way, like you were achieving a goal. It wasn't all bad back then. Now it was harder to bear, not impossible, but just painful. In more ways than one.

     "Alright, let's go, follow me. Keep up limpo and old man," Minho said, already running.

     "Hope you choke," You muttered, running only two steps behind him with your metal leg clanking every other step.