Maze Runner One Shots (Requests Open)

Just Hold Me (Harriet)

This involves self harm but there's no description of the act. As always with these, proceed with caution and remember triggering yourself isn't worth any amount of words written

"What happened to your hand?"

She looked like a deer in headlights when I first asked that question. It wasn't her hand that made me question her though. Her shirt has risen up, and I couldn't help but notice the angry scratch on her waist. Still, that timid look disappeared in an instant as she tugged her jacket down and explained that she fell on the ice.

That makes sense. Ice is slippery. It can be sharp. It's jagged. Everyone here has injured themselves in one way or another on it. There's nothing suspicious about that.

But as the days went by, more and more started to show up. She worked so hard to keep them hidden, meaning that's most likely not even all of them.

By now, she seems to have run out of excuses as she typically shrugs me off or just claims not to know.

You would know why your hand has half a bruise covering it, going up your sleeve. That's not something you can just forget.

Not that it stopped her from saying that.

"Y/N-"
"I've got to go grab some nails,"She interrupted, hurrying off before I could get another word out.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I sat in the snow, running my hands over my face. I don't get it. I don't know why she can't tell me what's going on with her.

The worst part is, I don't even think she has to.

♡ Time Skip⁠♡

I sat impatiently on her bed, my leg bouncing up and down at the speed of light. I know I should probably be hiding my nervousness, but I physically can't. This isn't exactly an easy conversation, and I have a lot of difficult ones almost daily. For finch's sake, I'm in charge of those.

This one is different though. Extremely different and I hate that. Even more so, I hate that I'm already sure it's true.

There was a small and barely audible sigh outside the hut. Sitting up straighter, I uncrossed my legs, placing my feet flat on the floor as I watched her open the door before leaning her head against it, her back turned to me. Staying still, I just watched as she seemed frozen in place.

After a stretching forever of tense silence, she turned around only to jump a little, her eyes widening as she realized I was there.

"Finch, Harriet, what are you doing here?"She questioned, her shoulders relaxing at the realization that it was me.

"We need to talk,"I said simply. Immediately, she crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at the floor as if to say no. It's something she's never done before when I've said that. Because she knows whatever I have to say won't come from any less than a place of love. Even when it's something serious, even when it's me telling her not to do something, there's a reason for it.

"Come on. Sit,"I said softly, patting the spot beside me.

She looked back at the door as if to debate running out of it. Still, thankfully, she slowly walked towards me, her eyes downcast on the ground.

Taking her spot, she put her palms flat on the bed, seeming to shrink in place. Putting a hand over hers, I gently stroked her wrist with my thumb.

"First off, I love you. I always have loved you, and I always will. Right now, you need to know I'd be talking to you even if I didn't. Because this is important. It's not a pretty conversation, but we need to have it. And I think you already know what I'm talking about."

She pulled her hand away from mine to pull her sleeve up, practically confirming the fear.

"Show me."

Shaking her head no, she pulled her knees to her chest, pressing her face in them as she seemed to break.

"Y/N-"
"I'm sorry,"She murmured, her voice cracking at the two words.

"Why?"I whispered, resting my hand on her shoulder. She just shrugged like it meant nothing. "Y/N, why?"I said firmer.

"Why not?"

I could only stare at her in disbelief, opening and closing my mouth as I tried to find the right words. There are so many reasons. There are people that love her, that would do anything for her, there's how much happiness she brings to others lives, there's the fact that she could cut too deep one day, there's the damage she's also doing mentally, there's how this could lead to something worse, something more permanent, there's how she doesn't deserve this, how she's stronger than this, there are so many reasons.

Yet I couldn't properly say a single one, too stunned into silence.

So I stuck to something I know best. Ordering, directing, leading. Even when it's the opposite of what someone wants, even when they think it's for nothing, even if she thinks I'm just doing it for the hell of it.

"Go to sleep."

She looked up at me with glassy eyes, her lips quivering as her body started shaking. Biting the inside of my cheek, I did my best to keep my calm composure despite my heart breaking in my chest.

"I need you."

I could barely make out her words as her voice was so quiet but held so much pain and desperation to be heard, a longing to be understood.

I don't understand. I really, really don't.

I love her so much though. I love her so I'll try.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her onto my lap while rubbing her back. Burying her face in my neck, she clung to me as she broke down, sobbing and leaving tears on my neck, wetting my skin the way I now know hers would be. The difference is the color. Mine was clear, just sort of shiny. Hers would be red, bubbling to the surface or maybe flowing. I don't know, and I don't want to.

I just want to hold her. I just want to make everything okay again, if it ever even was in the first place.

I can't be sure. I'm not sure of anything right now.

I just know that I have to make her better, no matter what it takes.