HEAVEN AND HIGH WATER ↠ the maze runner

1.3

THAT NIGHT DION WAS A WOMAN WITH A PLAN.

And she was not about to fail just because he was a slick little bastard.

Dion was not daft. She was observant, and she knew how Minho was with quick unplanned changes like that—he doesn't say it aloud, but he does not like it.

The bonfire was lively as usual, Gladers doing their own things here and there—a lot being highly intoxicated by Gally's secret recipe. Many greetings came from left and right, which Dion replied with a smile.

Then her eyes finally set on the Keeper of the Runners and quickly made her way towards him. He was getting up from the log he was sitting on, Dion was quick to stop him before he could go any further.

Minho sighed when the shorter girl moved into his way.

"Don't roll your eyes at me."

He did? He didn't notice, whoops.

Despite so, he didn't apologize.

Minho was about to move around Dion but only for her to move exactly where he wanted to go. When he moved to the other side, the same thing happened again. And again, and again, and again. Eventually, he gives up and throws both his hands in the air.

He looks at her, his expression showing what only could be described as deadpanning—as if almost saying 'What?'

Dion, unbothered by his response, raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'You know what.'

From across the Glade, two boys were looking at their little interaction.

"Are they... communicating?" One boy asked the other.

Swallowing the swig he took from his jar, he made an 'ah' sound before saying, "I don't know. Seems... interesting."

The scene itself did not seem to elaborate. Seeing as two of the characters had the stubborness as hard as rock-hard as the Maze walls.

Minho, eventually over it, clicked his tongue while exhaling—making it sound a bit like a scoff but softer—and move to walk around Dion once more, only this time he succeeded.

Though, Dion wasn't about to give up yet.

She chased over him and hit his shoulder while moving to his front—again.

"Fine. You win, I'm talking." Though he tried to hide it, Dion could see the suppressed smug smile on Minho's face. "But you better answer me."

His attempt to hide his smirk dropped, his face going back to its usual unbothered expression as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I know you don't like change."

Minho let out an exaggerated sigh, "Do you know anyone who does?"

Rolling her eyes, Dion continued, "I know you dislike it a bit more than the major population. Now—" Minho opened his mouth to cut her off only for Dion to raise her index finger, "—Shut up, I'm not done talking." Then, putting her finger down, she continued, "You can say something about it, you know? You're not obliged to go along with everything life throws at you—I mean— no." Dion was about to re-route her words and thought only for her heart to stop her mid-way—now was not the time. "Look, man. I'm sorry, alright. I don't want you to be mad at me, or anyone for that matter—"

Minho was taken aback by her words. He couldn't let her continue. "I'm not mad at you." he paused. "Why would I?"

There was a moment of silence coating the air.

Dion blinked.

His words surprised her—well, more of how he said it. Almost as if he had let his guard down which was very unlike him. And by the look on his face, it seemed he had noticed too.

Minho cleared his throat and shook his head, his face gaining his usual composure back. "Whatever. Just—s'not your fault." he paused, his eyes finally finding their confidence to look her in the eye, "I'm sorry," a split second passed where she could see his demeanor fall once more. But it was gone as soon as it came, "Bye. Not mad at you—just late and tired. Night." suddenly he was gone and she was alone, the sound of her Gladers filling the background.

***

"THE WEIRDEST THING JUST HAPPENED."

Nick, who was sitting alone drinking from his jar, looked up confused at his friend's word — not to mention she came out of nowhere too (though that didn't startle him, it surprisingly happens a lot).

"What?" he asked as he took another sip, sliding a little to give Dion some space to sit.

"Your Keeper just apologized to me."

His jar stopped on the tip of his lips on the brim. "Damn, which one?"

"The Runner."

That seemed to finally caught Nick's full attention as he sat up straighter and a look of wild disbelief on his face.

Dion, knowing the face he just made turns her head with an obvious look, "I know! I mean — we all know how shit they all are at admitting to being wrong let alone apologize..." she paused, "Damn, they might all need lessons into being human beings."

"Minho?" he paused, eyes moving everywhere in thought, "No offense to him. I mean, I love him, you know I do, but—"

"I know." she replied lowly, but still loud enough for him to stop his rambling.

There was a moment of fleeting silence between them. Nick being the one to break it, "Is he okay?"

Dion paused to think. "I guess there was a moment where I thought he— I don't know."

Nick didn't really understood what she said, he reckoned she probably didn't either so he decided to just leave it.