Multifandom One-shots

15. Beauty in the Shadows - x reader (The Maze Runner)

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the maze. "It is so beautiful up there in the sky," I mused, glancing at the vibrant canvas above. My fingers traced the soft yet damp grass, twirling it around my finger. "Wish I could say the same about here down below." The clouds above drifted and danced, mirroring the chaos below. "Most of us pray for peace, hope, and love," I said, still looking up at the sky. "The world is hurting, as are we."

"You're quite the philosopher, aren't you?" a gruff but friendly voice remarked. I turned to see Fry Pan with a smile on his face. "I suppose so," I replied, patting the open spot beside me with a tiny smile. "Sometimes, thinking about the bigger picture helps, you know? Makes this place feel less... suffocating."

Fry Pan chuckled, his voice echoing off the maze walls. "Well, we could all use a bit of your philosophic mind in our lives, especially in a place like this. Keeps us from going stir-crazy." I nodded, appreciating his words as he sat down alongside me.

My attention gradually shifted away from him and back to the sky. The sky was painted with hues of pink and gold, a fleeting masterpiece that taunted us from above. Up there, in the open expanse of beauty, one could almost forget the reality that unfolded beneath the clouds. I chose to break the stillness after some comforting silence between us. "Beautiful, isn't it? Shame more Gladers don't take a moment to appreciate it."

"Maybe," Fry Pan said, "we should start appreciating the beauty within these walls as much as we yearn for the skies above. It might just make this maze a bit more bearable."

As the conversation unfolded, Fry Pan's words lingered in the air. The sun continued its descent, casting a warm glow across the shifting walls that surrounded us. I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to this labyrinth than the ever-changing paths and looming mystery.

"I suppose you're right," I replied, my gaze locked on the horizon. "Maybe there's something hidden here, something worth appreciating if we look hard enough."

Fry Pan nodded in agreement, his gaze following mine. "It's easy to get caught up in the struggle, in the constant challenge of the maze. But maybe, just maybe, there's a purpose to all of this. A beauty that we're missing because we're too focused on what's beyond these walls."

The idea lingered, and for a brief moment, the maze felt less like a prison and more like a canvas waiting to be explored. The vibrant colors of the sky reflected in our eyes, a shared acknowledgment of the fleeting beauty that surrounded us.

Winston, the sturdy and dependable slicer, and Zart, the quiet yet observant Keeper of the Gardens, joined our unplanned gathering. "Appreciation won't fill our stomachs or keep the grievers at bay," Winston grumbled, but a twinkle in his eye betrayed a softer sentiment. "But yeah, it's a sight to behold."

Zart, who also decided to give his opinion, stated softly. "In the gardens, you learn to appreciate the simple things," he remarked. "A seed sprouting, a flower blooming—it's a small rebellion against the despair of the maze."

Winston's pragmatic perspective brought a touch of reality to our reflective moment. Emphasized the tangible challenges we faced within the maze. "True enough," I acknowledged, understanding the weight of his words. "But maybe, finding beauty in the midst of chaos helps us endure the challenges a bit better."

Zart's quiet presence added a contemplative layer to the conversation. His affinity for the gardens, a serene oasis within the maze's turmoil, reflected a different kind of rebellion. "A small rebellion," I repeated, savoring the phrase. "I like that. In a place like this, any act of defiance against despair counts for something."

Winston chuckled, appreciating the poetic turn in our discussion. "Defiance or not, we're still stuck in this maze," he said, glancing at the towering walls that confined us. "But maybe, just maybe, appreciating the small rebellions can make the journey a tad bit more bearable."