𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 - ᴍᴀᴢᴇ ʀᴜɴɴᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴏᴍᴀꜱ ➀

³⁸, ᶠⁱⁿᵃˡˡʸ ᵗᵒᵍᵉᵗʰᵉʳ

The sun is beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the Glade, as I make my way to the spot where I usually find some peace. After everything that's happened, the weight of the world seems to be pressing down on me, making it hard to even breathe. I'm exhausted—physically, mentally, emotionally. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

As I reach the edge of the Deadheads, I see Thomas waiting for me. He's standing with his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him, and I immediately feel a wave of conflicting emotions crash over me. Anger, hurt, confusion, and something else—something I've been trying to ignore but can't anymore.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I approach him. I can tell by the look on his face that he has something important to say, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear it.

"Hey," Thomas says softly as I come to a stop in front of him.

"Hey," I reply, my voice quieter than I intended. There's an awkward pause between us, and I can't help but feel a knot form in the pit of my stomach. "What's going on?"

Thomas shifts on his feet, clearly nervous. He finally pulls his hands out of his pockets and runs one through his hair. "Esme, I've been thinking... about a lot of things, actually."

I stay silent, waiting for him to continue. Whatever he's about to say, I can tell it's been weighing on him.

He takes a deep breath, looking me in the eyes. "I know things between us have been complicated. I've made mistakes, and I've hurt you—more than I ever intended. But there's something I need to say, and I don't want to waste any more time."

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the tension between us almost unbearable. I don't know where this is going, but part of me is scared to find out.

"I'm sorry, Esme," he says, his voice sincere. "I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me, for not standing by your side when things got tough. I was confused, and I let that get in the way of what really matters."

I swallow hard, the emotions I've been trying to hold back threatening to overwhelm me. "Thomas, I... I don't know what to say."

He steps closer, closing the distance between us, his eyes never leaving mine. "I know I haven't made this easy for you. But Esme, you mean more to me than anything else in this world. And I can't stand the thought of losing you, especially now."

I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I blink them away. "Thomas, you don't have to—"

"No, I do," he interrupts, his voice firm. "Because I need you to know how I feel. Esme, from the moment I met you, something inside me changed. You've been there for me when I didn't even know who I was. You've shown me what it means to fight for something, to care about someone. You're strong, fierce, and you never give up, no matter how hard things get."

He reaches out, taking my hands in his. His touch is warm, comforting, and it sends a shiver down my spine. "I've fallen for you, Esme. Hard. And I can't imagine going through any of this without you by my side. I don't want to just be your friend, or your ally. I want to be the person you can count on, the person who's there for you no matter what."

My breath catches in my throat as he continues, his voice full of emotion. "I'm in love with you, Esme. I know I should have said it sooner, but I was scared. Scared of what it would mean, scared of what you might say. But I can't keep it in any longer."

Tears are streaming down my cheeks now, and I can't stop them. Hearing Thomas say those words, the words I've been longing to hear, is almost too much to handle.

"I love you too, Thomas," I whisper, my voice trembling. "But... everything's so messed up right now. I don't know if we can—"

"We can," he says firmly, cutting me off. "We can make this work, Esme. I don't care what it takes, I'll do whatever I have to. Just say you'll give us a chance."

I look into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and determination there, and I know he means every word. My heart is pounding, my mind racing, but in this moment, everything else fades away. There's only Thomas, standing in front of me, telling me he loves me.

And I realize that I want this too. I want to be with him, to fight for whatever we have together, no matter how difficult things get.

"I'll give us a chance," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "But only if you promise me something."

"Anything," he says, his eyes shining with hope.

"Promise me you'll always be on my side," I say, my voice stronger now.

"I promise," Thomas says without hesitation. "No more secrets. No more hiding. We're in this together, Esme."

And then, before I can say anything else, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me. It's not the first time we've kissed, but it's the first time it feels like this—like everything we've been holding back is finally being set free. His lips are soft and warm against mine, and I can feel the love, the passion, in every movement.

I wrap my arms around him, pulling him closer, losing myself in the moment. Everything else fades away—the Glade, the Maze, the dangers we're facing. All that matters is Thomas, and the way he's making me feel like nothing else in the world matters except for the two of us.

When we finally pull apart, we're both breathless, our foreheads resting against each other. "I love you, Idiot," I whisper, my voice full of emotion.

"I love you too, Esme," he replies, his voice just as full of emotion. "And I'm never letting you go."

For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. No matter what happens, I know that Thomas and I will face it together. And that thought gives me the strength I need to keep going, to keep fighting for our future.

As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms, the sun continues to set, casting a warm golden light over the Glade. It's a moment of calm in the midst of all the chaos, and I hold onto it with everything I have.

Because I know that tomorrow, the real fight begins. But for now, I'm content to just be here, with Thomas, and to hold onto the love we've found in the middle of all this madness.