One night after Thomas brought back Minho and Alby from the Maze. Neither Minho nor Newt can sleep so they talk.
Just a little something that popped into my mind today. Enjoy!
Left.
Right.
Back.
Stomach.
No matter what he tried. Minho couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the traumatic experience in the Maze the night before or the anxiousness to get back there in only a few hours. He just couldn't.
Irritated he opened his eyes and scanned the room. All the other Gladers had no trouble sleeping at all. Snores resounded all around Homestead in the Gardens where the rest of the Gladers slept. Just one bed was empty, he noticed.
"Newt?"
The second-in-command was nowhere in sight. Minho sat up and stretched his limbs. Blame it on the past but he had a very bad feeling so he decided to look for his absent friend.
Careful, trying to make as little sounds as possible he tiptoed around the sleeping boys and made his way outside.
He let his gaze wander around the Glade. The darkness made it difficult of course but he didn't want to start a light. He might unnecessarily wake someone else. So he kept looking, doing a 360 degree spin.
There. He could see a faint light by the north door and started running.
Newt heard the soft thuds when Minho's feet hit the grass long before the Runner reached him. He had already expected someone to come after him. Alby or Minho. Since he had jumped they were always someone looking after him. The fact that they didn't trust him should bother him but it didn't. If anything, knowing there was always someone looking after him made him feel less alone. As if they cared about him just as much as he cared about them.
He turned around when the footsteps got louder, a small smile tugging on his lips when he saw the Runner.
"Hey. Hope I didn't wake ya. Need your beauty sleep after all."
"No worries. Couldn't sleep, that's all," explained Minho and sat down in the grass beside Newt.
"You okay?" the blond asked concerned. Having been a Runner himself in the past he knew the Maze could take a toll on you. Spending a night there must have been a thousand times worse. There was a reason no one had ever survived a night in the Maze before.
"Yeah, I'm no sissy, you know that," Minho waved it off. "Besides I had Thomas to protect me."
They laughed.
"Yeah, he's done really well for a greenie," said Newt, not even trying to keep the awe out of his voice.
"What about you?" Minho asked then.
"Me?"
"Yeah. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
"Just thinking," replied the blond airily, facing the Doors with a scowl.
That left them in a silence. Each of them lost to their thoughts. Then Newt spoke again.
"You're no bloody sissy and neither is Tommy but I'm sure as hell one compared to you lot."
Minho sighed, already knowing where this was going. "You weren't in a good place then."
"No kidding. I'm just thinking… maybe if I was a little bit more like you… or like Tommy… Comes here and plays the bloody hero, can you believe it?"
"Newt, what are you talking about?"
"Just… I should've sent someone after you and Alby. Could've saved you and Tommy this hellish night. I mean, screw the rules, right? You're my friends and I failed you and for that I'm sorry."
"Newt…" Minho shook his head and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, man. You did what was right. These are your rules. You established them for a reason. These are good rules. Can't have everyone playing the freaking hero, right?"
Newt's lips formed a small smile. "Right."
Minho laughed. "Of course I am," he said and after a pause he added. "Freaking greenie."
Now it was Newt's turn to laugh.
"He's better than us," he said, still smiling. "He's better than all of us."