Maze girl

✧༺ 16. Newt ༻∞

Three months. Three long, grueling months since everything came crashing down. I still remember those nights, Rune sobbing in my arms, the weight of Alina’s death pressing down on us like the walls of the Maze closing in. I don’t know how we got through it, but somehow we did.

Rune is smiling more now. The sadness is still there, hidden in the corners of her eyes sometimes, but she’s healing. And God, when she smiles—really smiles—it feels like the sun breaking through after a storm. I live for those moments.

We’ve been together for a year today. One whole year. I still remember the first time I kissed her, the way she looked at me like she couldn’t believe it was happening. It was after another brutal day in the Maze, after we both made it back by the skin of our teeth. There was no grand gesture, no perfect timing—just us, bruised and battered, realizing that we needed each other more than anything else.

And here we are, a year later.

I don’t have much to give her. The Glade isn’t exactly a place for grand celebrations. No fancy dinners, no candlelit restaurants, no music playing in the background. But I want to do something. Something to remind her how much she means to me.

So, I’ve been planning. As much as you can plan in a place like this.

It’s late afternoon now, and the sun is starting to dip, casting long shadows over the Glade. Rune is helping Frypan with something by the kitchen, and I take the chance to slip away, making sure no one notices me. I head toward the edge of the forest, where we have a little clearing tucked away—one of the few places in this hellhole that actually feels peaceful.

It’s where we first sat together, months ago, when everything was still fresh and raw. It’s where we started to heal, and where I started to realize just how much I cared about her.

I’ve already set things up—blankets spread out on the grass, a couple of lanterns I managed to borrow from the supplies, and, thanks to Frypan, a basket with some food. Nothing special, just some bread, a few apples, and some berries we found earlier. But it’s something. It’s ours.

I take a deep breath, looking at the little space I’ve created. It’s not much. It’s nothing, really. But it’s the best I can do, and I hope it’s enough.

When I go back to find her, Rune is just finishing up, wiping her hands on her pants, laughing at something Frypan said. I can’t help but stop for a second, just watching her. She’s different now. Stronger, even after everything. The way she’s moved forward—it amazes me. And somehow, she’s chosen me to walk through this with her.

I walk up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. She turns, a soft smile spreading across her face when she sees me. “What’s up?” she asks, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

“Come with me,” I say, reaching for her hand.

She raises an eyebrow, curious but doesn’t ask any questions. She takes my hand, and I lead her through the Glade, toward the clearing. As we walk, the sun continues to sink lower, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.

When we reach the clearing, I watch her reaction carefully. She stops in her tracks, her eyes widening as she takes it all in—the blankets, the lanterns, the food. It’s simple, but I can tell she wasn’t expecting anything like this.

“Newt,” she breathes, turning to look at me. “You did all this?”

I nod, feeling a little embarrassed now that I see how basic it all looks. “It’s not much, I know, but I just... I wanted to do something for you. For us.”

She steps closer, her hand slipping into mine, and she squeezes it gently. “It’s perfect,” she whispers, her eyes soft. “Thank you.”

We sit down on the blankets, and for a while, we just eat and talk. The food’s nothing fancy, but we make do, laughing at how Frypan would’ve made it ten times better if he were here. The sky darkens, and the lanterns start to cast a warm, gentle glow over us, the forest around us feeling far away, like we’re in our own little world.