The Inventor

Chapter Fifty One; "Don't be like me"

     "Chuck?" You said, sitting down beside him once again.

     "Yeah?" He looked up at you with a smile. You forced a small one of your own.

     "What would you think, if I told you, you would get out of this enclosed stone box and back into the world beyond it?" You said slowly, carefully choosing your words.

     His face lit up like a light, "Really? We're getting out? That's what everyone was being a shuck head about?"

     You laughed a little and nodded, "Yeah, yeah it is."

     "When?" He questioned, "How? Are we going right now?"

     "Tonight, we're going tonight," You said, "And how, is a little complicated, I want you to know that you'll be the safest you can be through all of it."

     "Stop babying me Y/n!" He grumped, "I can take care of myself, I want to help."

     "You will be helping," You quickly said, "You will be going down into the griever hole with Thomas and Teresa. You'll help punch in the code and save us all."

     "The- the griever hole?" He stammered, not looking all too happy about it anymore.

     You put a hand on his shoulder, "The grievers will be gone at nighttime, you'll be as safe as possible in this whole plan. You're just there to make sure those two don't get into any trouble, you get the important job of helping them disable the grievers. They'll be your backup."

     You tried to make it seem important but safe, like he would be of use but not in harm's way. As much harm as you could protect him from, that is.

     "And then we'll be free?" He asked, "No more Maze, I'll find my family and everyone will be safe."

    Don't make promises you can't keep, you remind yourself of this to fight back against your instinct to just agree and make him happy.

     "I hope so," Is what you settled for, "You deserve it little man."

     He thought for a moment before nodding, "Okay, I'll do it. I want to be brave and smart like you."

     You weren't brave, you were risky and proud. Smart, yes, at times incredibly. But you couldn't help but shake your head, "Don't be like me little man, I've done not okay things," You tapped the side of his head, "Your smarter than I'll ever be in a lot of areas, I know you're smart enough to make better choices then I have."

     "I've never seen you make bad ones," He shrugged, "You're like a hero and I'm your sidekick."

     Hero, that rubbed you the wrong way. That's what you thought Minho to be, some sort of hero that you loathed. You thought you were so different from him. But in Chuck's eyes, Chuck who didn't know of your heavy drinking and the things that went on when he was peacefully asleep, you were some kind of person he looked up to. You really wish he wouldn't, you didn't want him to follow in any footsteps you made. Most of them are irreversible mistakes.

     "I think," You said, smiling, "That I'm more your sidekick, I think that fits better. Chuck and Y/n, it fits well."

     He giggled and got up, giving a little jump of excitement, "Can we go then? There has to be something we can help with!"

     You used the support of a free to stand up straight, "Sure, let's go see what needs helping. I'm right behind you."

     He nodded and ran off through the forest while you walked along slowly after him.

     Very few people deserve a purely good ending. You believed he did.