i stand with u

chapter 1

It's been awhile since they arrived. Almost two years now. Things are running around smoothly as they can.
The mess hall is now properly built, with enough room for both the cooks and the ones who come to eat; tents with hammocks have been replaced with huts, with mostly beds in them; and the crops have never been healthier and quick to grow.

Construction and farming are two of the most important jobs around at the Haven. Two of which Minho didn't have the interest for.
Gardening had never been his thing since his days at the Glade, ask any Glader about it.
Construction and building... sure he can do it if he needed too, but he'd mess up most of it anyway. His minds' too occupied and distant to focus.
But to live in the Safe Haven you got to have a job, no matter who you are. The only person who doesn't have to follow the rules was Thomas.

So Minho hunts for other living creatures. Vegetables ain't enough to make sure all the members of the Haven are healthy and strong enough. Which is why there's a hunting group.

Minho does it with Thomas half the time. He doesn't think Thomas loves his job all that much, which is why he barely joins in. He spends his time at a grassy patch a few hundred meters away from the center of the Haven. He rarely talks to anyone, just with the Gladers or Brenda if he's up to it.

Harriet is also with him. She join in with him far more often, unless she's with Sonya, but she gets her assigned hours at her work finished by the end of the week.
Minho has spent a good amount of time with Harriet to know her good enough. They usually talk about their roles at the maze, the memories they've made, and it moves onto Sonya at times. Minho had discovered those two have been together since the maze, which is sweet, he has to admit. He'd never say it out loud of course. He's glad they get to share the rest of their lives together.

Everytime he's with Sonya, he's reminded of Newt. They have such a close resemblance, from their facial features to their accent and personality. He's reminded of their close friendship throughout their lives since the maze.

He's reminded of the last city, where he almost lost Newt. And then when he did lose him. He'll probably always be reminded of him. He's forever thankful that he came back for him. And for their close friendship.

Minho hasn't exactly moved on of course, but he's healing. Real slowly.
The Gladers all live in a big hut with hammocks. It's usually quiet, and no one's usually in it unless its at night. When nightmares of the past come back.
Theres never a night where someone doesn't wake up from it; Minho used to have them everyday. He felt guilty for waking up his friends at unfortunate hours of the night, so he stopped trying to sleep.
Thomas is the same; but he never stays in the hut. Fry sees his figure at the edge of the camp sometimes. And then he disappears into to the woods or the fields after breakfast.
Minho tries his best to be there for him and try to spend time with him, but it's hard when Thomas avoids basically everyone 24/7.

So for now he just works away.

***

Brenda comes up to him. He doesn't know why really. "Hey Gal."
She sits over at one of the freshly cut logs. "Soo, how's it going?" She drawls.
He doesn't respond as per usual. He continues chopping at wood for a few more minutes before she continues again. "What, you just going to ignore me? Cuz that ain't happening and you know it."

"What do you want?"

It always starts like this. Every conversation of theirs. She annoys him, Gally gives in (intentionally), and they spend the rest of the day chatting and bickering.

"I," she starts dramatically, "want to talk to you."

"About..?"

"Your 'specialty' drink. What do you put in it?" Gally turns to look back at her.

"You know I'm not telling you anything about that. What do you want?"

"Well, you know how your close with Fry and somehow Thomas too?"

"Yes. Do not Bren. Don't start this."

She says it anyway. "Why not with Minho?" Gally sighs. "The answer, as per usual, will be to go ask Minho instead."

"But you never tell me whyy," she whines out.

"Yep."

He looks up at the sun. "Looks like its lunch time. C'mon." He kicks her shin as he makes his away to the Mess hall. Her steps follow him though.

"Aren't we early?"

"Nope."

***

"Hey Fry," he greets his friend.

"How ya doing Gally?"

Brenda makes her way into the kitchen to give Fry a hug. "Fine," he picks up a plate for himself.

Brenda catches up to him, and they make it to their table. Aris and Sonya are already there.

"Hey Bren! Hey Gally."

Gally manages to nod back. Brenda places her plate down. "Hey Sonya, Aris. Harriet here yet?"

"Nah she's probably still with Minho." Aris replies. Gally looks down at his plate. Mashed potatoes and beans. Not his choice of food but it works.

Aris and Sonya continue their conversation, while Gally and Brenda eat in silence. "Hey, you want my beans?"

"You think I like beans?" Bren asks, but she takes the plate anyways. Gally rolls his eyes at her. "I'm goin' to check up on Thomas." He tells her, before standing up and turning around. 

"Mm, sure. Bye."

He makes his way over to the front again, greeted with a different cook. She smiles and continues on. Gally grabs another plate and makes his way out. And sees Minho. Harriets' with him too, they both chat quietly. He makes his way out without them noticing.

***
It's a long walk out to the woods. He spots Thomas leaning on a tree on the outside perimeter of the woods. "Hey," he greets. "Hey Gal." He doesn't look up. Gally sits across him. "You know you don't have to come here half the time." He says.

"Well how you gonna eat then huh shank."

Thomas, to be honest, still isn't okay from.. everything. From the maze to whatever happened at the scorch to the last city. He hasn't gotten over Newts death, or Teresa's, or Mary, or winston, and the other boys. He feels guilty. No ones blames him at all. And no one knows what to do to help or really does anything too special or much. The Gladers or Brenda bring food or walk with him. He knows Thomas and Minho go out for runs sometimes in the morning. Frypan drags him into the kitchen to talk. Gally sits with him in silence. Thomas seems to be comfortable with it, so the routine doesn't change.

***

The sand feels good underneath his feet. He looks over at the horizon. The sun has a few hours left, before it goes beyond the sea.

A figure stands at the shoreline; the silhouette tells him it's Minho. He watches him for a while before he turns around and heads back to his hut.

***

When Minho turns in for the night, everyone's in their hammock. Frypans' snoring lightly, he can see Thomas hasn't gone to sleep from his breathing, and Gally has his eyes wide open.

He climb into his hammock, and stares up at the ceiling. He looks over to his right. Gally's still looking up, but Minho sees his pupils move so slightly towards Minho at one point.

He turns around to his side.