Newt x Y/n - Maze Runner

-15-

Alby had a big long sigh, his head hung down for a moment as he yawned. I looked closer at his face, deep purple bags drooped under his eyes, his eyes were dark and shallow as his lip shook gently. I twisted my head to the right, squinting to look closer at him with the low light but Alby quickly turned his attention to me.

"Y/n... why did you go into the maze? You're hurt and you're are smart enough to know that." he nodded as he spoke and his voice cracked slightly.

I nodded slowly and looked down to the ground, "Everything was just to much, the maze at night it-" I froze, feeling my eyes watering and light tears falling down my skin. I took a quick shaky breath and slowed my speech, "The griever... it was- terrifying and slimy." I chuckled lightly through my tears. "I couldn't stay in here and I just needed to get out of the glade and away from all the worrying boys and... Chucks hugs."

I glanced back up and saw Alby who held a light grin on his face. I breathed again, "I understand if you want to put me in the pit."

I heard a sharp intake of breath, "No. No! Your not being punished. You didn't even brake any of the rules and no one is mad. Don't worry." We both smiled at each other before he started to speak again, "Well you can obviously run but I do want you to spend at least one day resting. Can you cope with Chuck for one day?"

"Yeah." I giggled.

Alby stood up and cracked his knuckles, "I'll go tell Fry to save you some food. You can rest for a bit." he smiled at me and walked out, gently closing the door when I heard a yell and scattering outside. I laughed to myself at the thought of them eaves dropping on us then running.

I lifted myself up off the tree log and walked to the door, creaking it open and stepping out into the bright sun. I rubbed my eyes that still spewed light tears, I walked towards my hut in the opposite corner being careful to avoid talking to anyone as I calmed my tears. As I walked I could hear mumbling from the other gladers around me but I quickly sped up and reached my hut, opening the door and slamming it shut. I crumpled onto the ground, hitting my fists on the floor as even more tears fell down. I let out a loud cry as many others followed. 

Newt POV:
~~~

I couldn't move my eyes away from the homestead, a group of boys huddled at the entrance listening to Y/n and Alby talk. I watched as their faces changed from laughter to confusion and worry.

Someone sat beside me, their bowl of food slammed down on the wood to my right and I heard a loud sigh, "How's she doing?"

Minho held his head in his hands as he poked at the food in his bowl, I didn't move, my eyes stayed glued to the door of the homestead.

"I don't know." I sighed, moving my legs around under the table as I watched the expressions of the boys huddled around the homestead switch from laughing to sympathetic, "She seemed fine but... how was she when you found her?"

My eyes wandered to Minho, his eyes seemed glued to the table and his frown was huge on his face. I watched as small water lines appeared just below his eyes before he swiped them away and looked up to the homestead where Alby had walked out, yelling at the boys outside and shutting the door quickly.

"She... she was on the top of a wall, looking down. Alby yelled at her to stop..." his voice wavered and cracked, "She said that's not why she was up there but - I think she's struggling."

I blinked a few times, wishing away the tears that threatened to poor from my eyes. Suddenly I became aware of my mouth that hung open and how my leg shook and that my nails were digging into my palms. Both of us turned back to our food, eating quickly until stopping abruptly when the wood we sat on shifted and beside us sat Alby. He held tightly onto his bowl as he sat down, he seemed happy but with a slight tinge of worry.

My body shifted to face him, "How is she? Why was she up there? What's going to happen to her? Is she hurt?" all the questions spilled from my mouth so fast my tonged couldn't keep up.

Both Alby and Thomas, who had just placed himself in front of us, burst out laughing. They scrunched up their noses and hid their now red faces into each others shoulders. I glanced at Minho who was smirking in my direction.

Once he had stopped laughing, Alby spoke, "She's fine. She didn't try anything and isn't any more hurt than she is." he stopped to let out another laugh before continuing, "I have somehow managed to convince her to stay in the glade tomorrow and I think she will run again after that."

I took a deep breath at the news until Thomas' face changed, his eyes travelled over Alby's head and followed something that moved through the glade. I followed his gaze and my site landed on the small girl that we just spoke about. Her eyes were red with tears that were only slightly visible behind her hands that blocked her face, she walked quickly and messily, tripping over on herself twice before starting a jog. Almost everyone in the glade watched as she ran to her hut in the opposite corner to the homestead and slammed the door shut before a loud cry echoed around the tall concrete walls that encased us, another came from the hut until it fell silent again for a moment until the chatter of the boys started up again.

Everyone at the table glanced at each other before I stood up, I set down my metal bowl and stepped over the log to walk to her hut but Alby grabbed my arm and held me back.

He sighed, "That is one thing we talked about." he sighed again and rubbed his face, pulling me gently to sit down again, "She said she needed a brake from all the worrying boys and... Chucks hugs."

Thomas and Minho both snorted to the side of me.

"What?" I furrowed my eye brows and sat down slowly again, moving my bowl to my lap.

Alby glanced to the others for help but when he received none, he continued, "She is the only girl and I think she can find that sometimes we all look down on her because she is the only woman and she doesn't want to be seen as something smaller than everyone else. You know better than anyone. She get embarrassed easily and I talked to her about a month ago... she doesn't want anyone to see her as weaker or smaller. She - she feels like she needs to push herself and prove herself to be worthy of what we have."

I looked at both Thomas and Minho, they clearly were never told this either as they had the same worried, sad and confused expression as me.

Minho's mouth opened but nothing came out. Thomas shifted on his chair and glanced towards her hut, "She... what."

"I told her that she doesn't need to feel like that but it's not that easy."