Survive Till Dusk (The Maze Runner)

Chapter 7 // Our Paradise

*Robin's P.O.V.*

The people in the room had split into various groups, huddling together and talking in low voices amongst themselves. The Right Arm members — as we had learned they called themselves — bumbled in and out of the area we were in, usually stopping to exchange a quick word with Keith Carter. 

As I had more of an opportunity to look around, I realized that we were in a large, well-lit hallway. Desks scattered with papers, open file cabinets, three-legged chairs, and more clutter lined its sides. Water stains decorated the ceiling and walls. The place felt strangely comforting and cozy, but that could have also been because of the fact that I was back with the people I was familiar with. I still couldn't fully cope with the fact that I finally had a group of functioning trustees. It lifted so much of the gravity of the situation off my shoulders. Thank goodness we were all healthy and fully intact — well, the majority of us at least.

"I seriously don't like these people. Especially not him," Alex said, eyeing Keith, who seemed to be the leader.

"Man, when have you ever liked anyone? I'm not even sure you like me," I responded, slightly set off by her constant distrust despite our slowly improving circumstances. "What've you got to complain about? We're getting more answers than we were before. We found our Glader buddies and, best of all, we aren't getting hooked up to some sketchy memory machinery." 

Alex shrugged. I knew she didn't like not being right, but things were really changing for the better. We had made it out of the Maze alive, we got away from the brain leeches, and we were back together with the boys.

"So that's the only thing you can't recall?" Newt asked Scarlett as he checked her head for any physical injuries that could have caused the, oddly specific, memory loss.

"Seriously, Scar-" Scarlett cut Thomas off, shooting him a glare. Ooookay, why is Thomas bothering you so much though?

"Tommy, just back off and let her be," Newt spoke up, causing Thomas to head over to one of the Right Arm members with a somewhat taken aback guise. Alex's eyes darted in Newt's direction, her face changing to an unreadable expression. Oh my God... what's up with all the looks today? If you guys want to say something, just speak. I wanna be in on the secrets.

"Honestly, I'm kinda disappointed the whole getting our memory back thing didn't work. It actually did the opposite for you," I scoffed at the irony. 

"I'm sure it's not that bad," Scarlett shrugged. "I remember pretty much everything... I think. Well, I mean, there's some momentary gaps of events... but, at least I still remember all of you." She turned to Thomas at the other end of the room and slightly scrunched her eyebrows together. "Most of you: I don't think I forgot anything important. " 

"Nothing important!" I barked disbelievingly. "You don't remember the boy you were head over heels for! Your lover? Ya know? Thomas." Oddly enough, I missed seeing them both get so uncomfortable and blushing. Their behavior was so similar that it just warmed my heart to no end.

"Speaking of head over heels." I could feel a sturdy body hug me from behind as those words were softly uttered. The arms embracing me tugged for me to detach myself from the group and I happily obliged.

I could hear a man stuttering something about WICKED and harvest machines as I walked in the direction Minho lead me. He pulled me into a small alcove in the hall, created by two structural beams. So many wild thoughts ran through my head, but then again, I only ever had wild thoughts around him.

Minho came to a stop at the far end of the alcove while I leaned against the opposing wall. I felt like a little kid playing a game. Who could keep still the longest? I kept my hands clasped behind my back as I watched him stare me down. Had he pulled me away from the others just for a staring contest? I looked for any telltale sign on him that would indicate he was about to move or speak. It was so hard not to run over to him, given that I'd yearned for his touch since we'd stepped foot in this place, after the hectic rescue. Being in his embrace felt like one of the limited safe places in the world. My eyes trailed over his body, analyzing details I hadn't focused on earlier. His shoes and pants were covered in an ocher dust and his once brown shirt was covered in dark stains. Some of them I could definitely tell were blood, but others were to remain a mystery. The fabric at the collar and other patches were singed and looked slightly burnt.

Then, we locked eyes. They were darker than I remembered. Minho's whole face appeared more sunken and sharp. But his eyes hadn't lost their dangerous glint, still holding a certain mystery in them. There was so much about him that I didn't know, yet I felt like I knew all that I had to. A subconscious smile spread across my face. Realizing it, I immediately sucked in my cheeks trying to hide it, which caused my mouth to break into a wider smile. 

In response, his face calmly warped into a melancholy smile. He tilted his head as a soft tear escaped from the corner of his eye, making my heart melt. I had him in my arms in no time, letting Minho rest his forehead as his entire body slumped into my embrace. 

"Robin..." He sucked in a sharp breath. "Robin..."

"Shhh. It's okay. I've got you now," I tried to soothe him. I didn't want to be insensitive towards the situation, but I liked him so vulnerable in my arms. A shudder from him snapped me out of my strange trance. 

"Robin, it was horrible out there. So damn horrible. How could I lose so many Gladers? Alby would've never screwed up this bad. I just... I want it to go back to the way it used to be." I lifted his face in my hands, brushing my thumb over his sun-damaged skin. I shifted onto my toes, kissing his forehead and then his nose in the process.

"It's going to be better. You'll see. That's why we're going through all this stuff. We gotta go through that to get to our paradise."

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