𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘- TMR, Minho

016, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silver glow over the desolate landscape of the Scorch. The air was cool, a welcome relief from the searing heat of the day, and the only sounds were the distant howls of Cranks and the soft crackle of the campfire. The ruins around them were silent, a haunting reminder of what the world had become. But for now, the group found a brief respite, huddled around the fire, everyone lost in their thoughts as exhaustion took hold.

Lila sat cross-legged near the fire, her eyes focused on the flickering flames as she tried to clear her mind. She felt the weight of the day's events pressing down on her shoulders—every step they took through the Scorch seemed to bring more danger, more uncertainty. And yet, here she was, alive, surviving. For now, at least.

Across from her, Thomas and Newt were deep in conversation, their voices hushed as they discussed their next move. Meanwhile, Minho was pacing restlessly a few feet away, his gaze sweeping the dark horizon, always on guard. Lila didn't have to look up to know his eyes drifted to her more often than the surrounding area.

"Why do you always look like you're deep in thought?" Minho's voice cut through the quiet, teasing yet curious. He finally stopped pacing and plopped down next to her, his knee lightly brushing against hers.

Lila raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "Maybe I'm contemplating how to save your life again. You seem to need a lot of saving."

He chuckled, a low, warm sound that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. "Or maybe you're just thinking about how charming I am."

"Charming?" Lila scoffed playfully, nudging him with her shoulder. "More like obnoxious. But I guess it has its moments."

Minho leaned closer, his arm resting casually on his knee, his eyes locked on hers. His presence was warm, steady, and somehow comforting despite the hell they were in. "Admit it, you like it."

Her heart skipped a beat at the intensity of his gaze, but she shrugged, playing it cool. "Maybe I tolerate it," she shot back, though the corner of her mouth betrayed a smile.

"Tolerate, huh?" Minho tilted his head, his grin widening. "So, there's a chance you could actually enjoy my company?"

"Don't push your luck," Lila replied, though her tone had softened slightly. "I might just leave you behind next time we run into a Crank."

He laughed, the sound warm and familiar in the cool night air. "You wouldn't dare. I'm like a lucky charm at this point."

"Lucky?" she raised an eyebrow. "More like a pain in my ass."

Minho grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. "I'll take that as a compliment. And speaking of Cranks, I wouldn't be too quick to say you'd leave me behind. You might miss having me around."

Lila rolled her eyes, though the warmth of his smile was infectious. "I'd manage."

Minho's expression turned a little more serious as he leaned in, his voice lowering to a murmur. "You know, Lila, I admire you. More than you probably realize."

Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden shift in his tone. She glanced at him, her heart racing as his intense gaze met hers. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean," he continued, his eyes never leaving hers, "you've been through as much as any of us. And you've always come out on top. You're strong, tougher than most people I know. I'd be stupid not to admire that."

Lila was quiet for a moment, processing his words. She wasn't used to compliments, especially not ones that felt so genuine. "Well," she finally said, her voice softer than before, "I've had to be strong. The world isn't exactly kind."

"I get that," Minho said, leaning back slightly, though the intensity in his gaze remained. "But it's not just about surviving for you. You've got this fire in you—like nothing's going to stop you, no matter what. That's pretty badass."

Lila felt a warmth spread through her at his words, but she quickly masked it with her usual sarcasm. "If you're trying to sweet-talk me, you'll have to do better than that."

"Sweet-talk?" Minho smirked. "Trust me, Firecracker, if I wanted to sweet-talk you, I'd have you swooning by now."

Lila snorted, shaking her head. "You? Swoon-worthy? In your dreams, Minho."

"Oh, come on," he said, scooting just a little closer, the playful challenge in his voice unmistakable. "Admit it. You've thought about it."

"Thought about what?" she asked, though she had a feeling she knew exactly where this conversation was heading.

"Me. You. Together," Minho said with a wink, his grin widening as if he was having way too much fun with this.

Lila rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You've got an overactive imagination, Minho."

"Maybe," he said, shrugging casually. "But I'm not wrong, am I?"

She sighed dramatically. "You're relentless, you know that?"

He grinned. "Only because I know what I want."

"And what's that?"

He didn't hesitate. "You."

The single word hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Lila was speechless. She hadn't expected him to be so direct, so bold. But then again, this was Minho—he didn't do anything halfway.

"And what makes you think I'd be interested?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"Because," Minho said, his gaze locking onto hers, "you haven't told me to stop."

Lila felt her heart race, her defenses slowly crumbling under his steady gaze. "I'm thinking about it."

Minho smirked. "Then why haven't you?"

Before she could answer, the sounds of the camp began to fade into the background, the crackling fire, the distant conversations—it all seemed to disappear as Minho leaned in even closer. His hand brushed against hers, a small, almost hesitant movement, but enough to send a jolt of electricity through her.

"Because I'm curious," Lila admitted, her voice barely a whisper now.

"Curious, huh?" Minho murmured, his face inches from hers. "I can work with that."

And then, without giving her time to think, he closed the distance between them. His lips brushed against hers, soft at first, testing the waters. But when Lila didn't pull away, the kiss deepened, slow and steady. There was nothing rushed about it, nothing desperate. It was as if time had stopped, and for a brief moment, they weren't in the Scorch, surrounded by death and chaos. It was just the two of them, sharing something real, something warm.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Minho grinned down at her. "So, how was that? Better than you imagined?"

Lila rolled her eyes, though the smile on her face gave her away. "Don't get cocky."

"Too late," he replied with a wink. "I'm always cocky."

Lila laughed softly, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

"And yet," Minho said, his voice dropping to a playful whisper, "you're still here."

"Yeah," Lila said, leaning back against the rock, her heart still racing. "I guess I am."

And for the rest of the night, as the fire crackled and the stars twinkled above, Lila couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. Something that couldn't be undone.