Gally Imagines

=FORTY-FOUR= Help Me Try

You slowly felt yourself slipping out of the dream state and into conscious. You felt warm, and safe, and happy. 

That was not normal.

You opened your eyes and almost jerked, suddenly realizing that you were not in your own bed in your own hut. Images of the night before came flooding back; the fire, Dan's fingernails, and Gally's rescue.

Gally.

Then you realized that you were wrapped up in more than just the blankets. Gally's arms were around you, and your head was on his chest. You slowly looked upwards and found that his eyes were closed. He was holding you unconsciously in his sleep.

You shut your eyes a moment, fully relaxing into him, cherishing every precious second. Then you gazed up into his face once more and began tracing his features lovingly. The line of his jaw; his cute nose; the subtle crease lines on his forehead; the exaggerated arch of each wondrous eyebrow. He was utterly adorable, and you were overjoyed to be in his arms at last, even if he was asleep.

As you continued to stare, Gally's lashes lightly brushed his freckled cheeks, and he shifted slightly, tightening his grip around you. Then he opened his eyes.

You had thought that once he realized his arms were around you, he would sit up and pull back sharply, expanding the already deep awkwardness between the two of you. Instead, he stared into your eyes a moment longer, then gradually released his grip around you as he carefully eased himself up and dropped his legs over the side of the bed.

You sat up slowly, watching as he reached for his boots, pulling roughly at them to force his feet in. You ran your fingers past your forehead and through your hair, and Gally looked up right as you did so. There was a look that crossed his face as he stared at you, a look that was almost tangibly familiar, almost the same look that he had had when he saw the Rain Pool. Then he averted his gaze, dropping his eyes back down to his boots as he began to lace them up.

You glanced away, feeling self-conscious, only able to imagine your appearance, but also curious as to why Gally had given you that look. It couldn't have been because he thought you looked...well... You blushed. You couldn't have, not after just waking up! But, the way he had stared at you...

Gally raised up.

"How are your wrists?" he asked, his voice so deep and soft that you almost didn't hear him.

You glanced down at the gauze, noticing that you didn't feel the throbbing anymore. To your inward delight Gally reached out and took your wrists in his hands once more, carefully unwrapping the frail, white cloth, exposing the skin beneath. Your injuries looked a lot better; the black and purple bruises still clearly visible; however, the cuts that had been created from Dan's sharp fingernails were already beginning to heal up.

Gally held your wrists sliding his thumb gently over the 'C' shaped cuts denting your skin, then he stood to his feet, lifting a clean shirt out of a crate and pulling it on. As you slid on your own shoes, Gally grabbed the Runner's vest from off of his table and opened the door. You walked up and paused, but Gally continued to stand where he was, obviously allowing you to go first. You smiled a bit awkwardly, then stepped outside into the sunshine.

You walked in silence beside Gally, watching as the other Gladers moved about their tasks, gearing up for the day ahead. Then you stopped, staring at the sight before you; one that you didn't want to see, but one you knew you'd have to face eventually.

It didn't even resemble your hut now, just the blackened, charred remains of one. It was completely destroyed, reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. You walked up to it slowly, taking in the dreadful sight. It was dead. A hideous skeleton of something that you used to love. And to think that you could have died with it. You shuddered, shutting your eyes tightly at the thought, glad to block out the scorched image before you. The only reason that you were alive was because of Gally. You opened your eyes and glanced at him.  Gally stood solemnly, gazing over the remnants in silence.