WHATEVER IT TAKES • THE MAZE RUNNER

o19 , (hello.)

(short one oopsie)

"Hello." 

Minho blinked at the brunette in front of him. His eyes were wide in shock and his mouth was agape. He could barely think before he brought him in for a tight hug. It was the first hug they had had with each other in years. 

Minho pulled back and gestured to him. "How are you here?" 

Arthur shrugged and brushed down his top, his eyes lidded from tiredness but his body was so awake that it was constantly shaking from pent-up energy.  "I walked from there to here." He pointed from the trees to the spot he was at. "Where is Alby?" 

Minho frowned and Arthur's face fell. Minho could see the way he crumpled slightly and he understood. They were closer than anyone could even imagine, and even the idea of one of his friends dying without him being there made him breathe pause in his throat so he couldn't even think what it was like to the degree that Arthur felt.

"Shit." He sniffed and ran a hand under his eye, collecting the tears dripping onto his cheek. "You sure?" 

Minho nodded. "He got taken by a griever, there was nothing we could have done." There was a look of pure devastation slattered across his face as he faced Arthur. At least he was still here, at least he wasn't gone as well.

"Are you okay?" Arthur placed his hands on Minho's shoulders and he nearly teared up right then. He had concluded that he would never get to feel the gentle affection as well as the aggressive love that Arthur showed again.

He stayed still for a moment before nodding his head. "I'm fine. There were worse things to have happened. At least there are still people alive." Minho fixed his running harness and looked back toward Arthur who was still looking at him. "Oh come on then."

The brunette hugged him again, the shaking that was subtle enough that you had to be holding him to feel it hit deep in Minho. He was sure he was shaking too but he couldn't let his guard down, not now the Glade had been proven to not be safe. They had to leave but Arthur didn't know anything. He had been kept in the dark this whole time despite being the one to start this off and he now realised how fucked up that was. They had isolated him. "I'm sorry Archie."

"I know." Of course, he did.

Minho patted his back but didn't let go knowing Arthur needed this. "I'm sorry for not telling you everything, you started this off. You started this maze off and we acted like you were a child and I'm sorry for that."

Arthur shook his head and pulled back. "I know you're sorry, and I also know you didn't mean to, you were just so caught up in the idea of escaping that you lost all other thoughts. I get that. Think of everyone else before one individual because we do what's best for the Glade, and right now that's leaving it."

Minho raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"I'm not that stupid Minho, no matter how much I may seem it." Arthur smiled something that he admired, Arthur's ability to keep smiling in the worst of situations.

Minho elbowed Arthur as they both sat down. "I never thought you were stupid, dumb maybe but that's different." There was a huff from Arthur that could have been a laugh. "Newt's over there if you want to go see him."

"He's alive?" Minho nodded and there it was. The sag of relief.

He was quiet for a moment before Arthur shook his head. "I want to see you right now, I'll go over in a bit." Arthur glanced at Minho before fiddling with his hands. There was a moment before Arthur sighed placed both hands on the log and turned to face Minho. "I appreciate you. You know that right?"