"Newt." Minho let his name slip through his pursed lips upon seeing him.
"Minho." Newt approached him quickly before stopping suddenly a few feet from him.
Neither boy could bare the distance nor the silence so at once both of them said, in tones of great importance, "I'm sorry."
It was an odd expression that danced across Minho's face at this moment. It was an odd expression followed by a slight smile and an even slighter blush. Then they both began to talk at once until Newt paused and said,
"You go first."
"No." Minho shook his head, "You go first."
"You sure?"
Minho nodded more furiously.
"Okay." Newt swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, before he went on tentatively, "I'm sorry I kissed you. I never should have and I'm really sorry. I just want to be friends again Minho, I'm so sorry."
Minho blinked twice in the silence left in the aftermath of the statement. Newt felt the other boy's gaze rest upon his lips and he shuddered slightly. Minho gazed at him now, eerily quiet, with a profound expression revealing that his mind was working in overdrive.
Breaking that silence Newt continued his ramble, "And I'm sorry I called you weak. That wasn't fair of me to do and I never should've gotten mad at you. I never should've yelled or-"
"Stop."
Newt was caught off guard, "Minho I-"
"Stop apologizing." Minho's face scrunched into a look of thoughtfulness unlike his usual disposition, "I'm not mad at you."
"But you told me you didn't want to see me anymore."
"It was a mistake. You were right. I was just," He looked down at the ground, "Scared."
Newt stepped forward closing the distance between the two of them when Minho's eyes met his with a new and foreign interest.
"It's okay to be scared." Newt gazed so deeply into Minho's eyes that he wanted to turn away but was bound by some unknown force to gaze back into them, "I just need to know what you want."
Minho opened his mouth to say something but he promptly closed it once more. Newt looked at him expectantly with his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest. Minho spoke in a slow drawling whisper, "I'm no good with words."
"Then show me." Newt spoke back, his voice of an equal volume. Minho's breaths were hot and heavy as they left his parted lips. He looked at Newt; his big eyes round and ever comforting and his teeth peeking through his lips all the way down to his sharp cut collar bones that jutted out of his skin just above the neckline of his shirt. Minho looked back up at Newt's face. He bit his lip while his internal thoughts fought each other over what decision to make. They fought for only seconds before Minho found himself kissing Newt. Newt let out a short gasp that was quickly stifled by Minho's lips against his own. Minho felt the other boy's lips twist into a smile against his own as his long arms reached up around his shoulders pulling him closer.
"I suppose you've made your choice." Newt pulled away to say.
Minho looked at him with a new sparkle in his eyes, "I hope you can make my choice worth my time."
Minho had hardly finished his sentence when Newt began to kiss him once more. This time the kisses were harder, deeper, more desperate as he pressed his body closer to Minho's until there was no room between them. Minho was shocked but he was no longer scared, or at least in this moment he'd forgotten to be. He grappled with his grip on Newt before he pushed back on him. Newt stumbled backwards but Minho caught him swiftly in his arms.
"I'm sorry." Minho laughed a little.
"No more bloody apologies please." Newt smirked back at him.
"Fair enough." Minho turned Newt back towards the wall and kissed him again. With the wall at his back and Minho's body pressed against his front Newt was locked in place, with not a single complaint. Newt found his smile bumping teeth with Minho's and their noses struggling to find their own space. Minho brought his hands up over Newt's shoulders and over the back of his neck until he was running his fingers through his hair. He gripped it tightly as he shoved Newt roughly against the wall; maybe he was getting a little too ahead of himself, but he just wanted more and more of him each second he existed here with him, because he heard Newt let out a little grunt of pain and he pulled back worried that he'd hurt him.
"Are you okay?" Minho traced Newt's arms gently with the pads of his fingertips.
Newt let out a shaky breath along with the words, "Shit, Minho."
Newt had wiped the dirt Minho's hands had left on his face the best he could but it just left his shirt dirty and his face with a more even distribution of dirt. They were now walking back through the dead heads with an easy silence filling the space around them. Their hands would brush lightly against each other's every stride as each boy tried to sneak a glance at the other without getting caught. If they ever caught each other's eyes they'd both turn away hastily with a blush protruding up through their faces. They snuck quietly into the sleeping quarters past the other sleeping gladers. Newt settled into his hammock for the first time in much too long. It was comforting but not as spacious and warm as the bed he'd gotten used to in the health hut. He looked over at Minho who was across from him and saw him looking back at him. He smiled gently and Newt closed his eyes. Things were certainly looking up.
Minho got up much earlier than Newt and met Ben by the Maze.
"Tired?" Ben asked as he watched Minho try to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
"Yeah, you could say so." Minho replied.
"Stay up late?"
"You could say so."
"Couldn't sleep?"
"Sure." Minho smiled a little to himself. Ben did not seem to notice this smile, as he was preoccupied with the maze opening.
He turned to Minho with a sly grin, "Better not be too tired to run. I expect you to keep up!"
"Oh you expect me to keep up?" Minho mocked, "I won't be doing any keeping up, you will!" He then shoved Ben's shoulders back before he sped off. Ben followed with a whoop that was caught in a rush of air as he covered the distance between them.
Newt awoke to a nearly empty sleeping quarters. He rolled over to see that Minho's body was gone from the hammock across from his. He rolled back onto his back and stared up at the roof, it's thatched ceiling forever bent beneath it's own weight, and let out a long sigh. He closed his eyes and let a smile make its way across his lips as he remembered the events of the day before. He could hardly believe it was real. He was almost worried it was just some magnificent dream his mind had created. Almost. But his shirt was still covered in dirt so he smiled. It had been real.
Newt was checking up on rations in the Bloodhouse when Ben walked by the door; hair wet, still dripping from his shower, and smiling. Newt waved at him and he turned towards him.
"Minho's extra cheery today." Ben told him with an open smile, "Kind of creepy actually." Then he walked off. Winston turned to Newt with a quizzical expression. Newt just shrugged back.
"Don't slaughter anything else until the new shipment arrives. You got a lot of stuff here, let's finish it first." Newt told him instead, completely ignoring the Minho comment.
"I totally agree." Winston quickly defended himself, "Nick is really weird. He likes killing things. It's quite unnerving actually. Especially recently. Since yesterday he's been just killing things and not preparing anything. He just leaves them so I'm forced to prepare them. It's be wasteful if I didn't."
"Well," Newt's eyebrows scrunched as he made a mental note of unnerving Nick, "Tell him to chill out. If he doesn't, talk to me."
"Yeah." Winston nodded, "Yeah for sure. Thanks Newt."
Newt still hadn't seen Minho yet as he was in the shower when Newt was on his way to see Alby. He had to check in daily. He found Alby just outside the kitchen. They decided they'd just talk here. Newt gave him the usual run down of rations, the general moral, any small issues, and of course the group workings of the gladers.
"Oh!" He had almost forgotten about what Winston had told him, "Nick is unnerving."
"Pardon?" Alby asked.
"Winston says he's 'really weird'." Newt explained, "That he likes to kill things; hence the over abundance of meat rations. Told Winston to talk to me if it gets any worse after he tells him to stop."
"Aright." Alby nodded taking in the new information, "And what about you, how're you doing?"
"I'm fine. I can walk on my own again and it doesn't hurt so…" He trailed off.
Alby gave him a quick eye roll, "Minho seemed exceptionally happy today."
"I've heard that actually." Newt brushed it off, "Haven't seen the guy today so I couldn't verify it for you."
"I verified it for myself." He looked at Newt as if he thought he'd say something but when he said nothing he spoke again, "I thought you might know why?"
"I know why?"
"Yes."
"I haven't seen the guy all day, Alby."
"Sometimes a person just wakes up happy. Maybe because of something that happened the night before." He prodded.
"Alby, what are you asking me?" Newt crossed his arms over his chest and smiled smugly.
"Did you talk to him?"
"Yes."
"How did it go?"
"Good. Very good."
"What did you say?"
"Alby, I don't mean to be rude but I don't have the urge to gossip with you." He smiled sweetly, "At least not today."
"Your job is to gossip with me." He pointed out with humor in his tone.
"Ah." He wagged his finger, "But not about myself. I do believe that is no longer gossip actually, but a sharing of feelings, and I also believe I've done enough sharing of feelings in the last few days. In fact the sharing of anymore feelings may make me sick." Alby began to talk but Newt shushed him, "All you must know is that it went exceptionally well last night. If you inquire about my feelings at a later date you may be more successful."
Newt then grinned widely at him. Alby smiled back. Newt could be a frustrating little shit sometimes but he always got away with it when it came to Alby.
Newt found Minho during their downtime before dinner. His hair was still damp and his smile still wide. Newt greeted him with a smile of equal strength but when he tried grasp his hand he pulled away.
"Minho, what's wrong?" Newt asked, now keeping his hand to himself.
"Not in front of people." Minho replied in a whisper.
Newt stepped back away from him, "What?"
"Other people can't know."
Disgust filled Newt's eyes, "Why not?"
"It's not you. I like you. A lot." Minho rushed to defend his words, "It's me. There are reasons I can't let other people know."
"What bloody reasons?" Newt began to shout but Minho grabbed his arm and brought his face closer to his trying to quiet him down and prevent him from making a scene.
"I can't tell you." He whispered.
"What do you mean you can't tell me?" Newt violently pulled his arm away.
"There are reasons. Things you can't know. Newt you have to trust me on this."
"I have to trust you enough to kiss you." Newt looked hurt and it made Minho cringe at himself. "But you don't want anyone to know."
"I can't let anyone know."
"Right then." He sighed, "It's embarrassing being with the boy who can't walk."
Minho's breath caught.
"I get it. It's fine."
"Newt that's not why-"
"I don't want to hear it."
"Newt please-"
"If you want to kiss me some more come find me in the darkest patch of woods." Newt declared bitterly. Then he turned away from Minho, salty tears residing behind his eyes, and didn't look back as he went to join Winston for dinner.
Newt had done his rounds the next day quicker than ever as to keep him busy, to keep himself from thinking about Minho. It was more of a challenge than expected. It was always more of a challenge than it had to be with Minho, he found himself thinking bitterly as he plotted stats in his little hardbound journal with his small dull pencil that had been in last month's box. He'd tried to write everyday since then but he'd been off to a bad start as he'd forgotten to write for the last few days with all of the Minho commotion. He looked at the empty page and wrote:
Minho is difficult.
Then he closed the book and let out a sigh. He also had tried to draw but he'd found that to be even harder. He did not know how Jeff was so good at it. His drawings formed beautiful images but with Newt's it was hard to tell if he'd been trying to draw a tree or a human being. Jeff told him it would take lots of time and practice, as he was sure it did before he'd lost his memories yet he had no actual memories of being bad at drawing. Newt was sick of things needing practice and patience. Especially when the practice was no fun and the patience was agonizing. It was like dealing with his still healing leg nearer the beginning. He was starting to enjoy his alone time just as Winston came running up to him.
"Newt, I need your help!" He said slightly out of breath.
"What's wrong?" Newt asked.
"It's Nick!"
Newt followed Winston back to the Bloodhouse quickly to find Nick throwing a third lifeless chicken carcass on a pile of two others.
"He just won't stop I swear I told him to stop!" Winston told Newt in a frenzy. "He just got angrier!"
"Hey Nick." Newt stepped forward. Nick turned his head quickly as if it was on a swivel. He slowly picked up another chicken by its neck as Newt continued, "I need you to put the axe down now."
"Why?" Nick growled back.
"We do not need to kill all these animals, Nick. We have more than enough for until the box returns." Newt explained in a calm even voice, "Winston told you this and now I'm telling you this. So please put the axe and the chicken down before you get into trouble."
"Who's going to get me into trouble? You?" Nick scoffed dropping the chicken that scrambled away. "What could you do?"
"Nick I'm not looking for a fight."
"You couldn't win in a fight. You're small. Weak." He spat at him. Newt flinched a little as Nick turned to face him. Nick was so angry but Newt could not let him know that it made him scary. Newt stood his ground and was about the say something more when Nick lunged at him. The axe flew over his head as Newt ducked around it and buried itself in the wall behind him. Winston instinctively jumped back. Newt scrambled away on all fours as Nick pulled the axe from the wall. Newt rolled out of its path as it came down towards the ground. Then he gabbed a long wooden rake to block the next blow.
"Get Alby!" He shouted to Winston as he pushed back on the axe now attached to the handle of the rake. Winston looked petrified but he listened to Newt's instruction and ran out of the Bloodhouse. Newt kicked out at Nick trying to push his body off of his. His bad leg strained painfully under the pressure of the other boy on top of him but it held him off long enough for Newt to hit the butt of the axe back against Nick's jaw. Nick reeled back but when he looked back at Newt with his jaw bleeding he looked even angrier than before.
Winston came running across the glade shouting for help at the top of his lungs. Ben looked at Minho strangely before calling out to Winston.
"Find Alby!" He shouted back, "Nick is going to kill Newt!"
Ben and Minho both shot up to their feet.
"Where?" Ben asked, ready to help.
"Bloodhouse." Winston told them through heavy uneven breaths.
By the time Ben turned to look at Minho for reassurance he was already gone. Ben followed Minho who was now sprinting his fastest towards the Bloodhouse.
Minho shot through the door of the Bloodhouse as Newt was pressed up against the wall with the splintered rake handle at Nick's chest and the axe at his own neck. Either boy could strike a fatal hit at this moment. Ben followed through the door as Minho launched himself at Nick without thinking. He did not need to think; Newt was in trouble there was nothing more he needed to know or think about. Nick, having not enough time to process Minho's entry, was not prepared and when Minho hit him he went toppling to the ground with the axe slipping from his grip. Newt's long legs shook for a mere second before he fell towards the ground as well. Ben ran to his aid.
"Are you alright?" He gripped Newt's shoulders tightly.
"I'm okay." Newt shook violently as he sucked in heavy breaths. Then noticing Nick's hand grasp the axe once more he pushed Ben away, "Help Minho!"
Ben's head swiveled to see the axe strike Minho's shoulder. Minho let out a pain filled grunt as Ben shoved him out of the way of a second blow. The axe dug into the dirt beside his head instead. Minho leaped back to his feet as blood spilled rapidly from his shoulder. Ben had kicked Nick in the chest putting distance between him in the axe then. Alby burst through the door then followed by Winston, Gally, Clint, Jeff, and Frypan. Gally immediately went after Nick. Eventually he was contained with his arms tied behind his back. Alby instructed Ben and Gally to lock him away until further decisions could be made. They left dragging the angry Nick by his shoulders. Clint got Frypan to help him tend to Minho in the health hut. They left too. This meant only Alby, Newt and Winston were left in the Bloodhouse.
"Newt, are you alright?" Winston rushed to his side.
Newt was breathing hard, unsuccessfully trying to catch his breath. He swallowed hard and answered, "I think so."
"Are you hurt?" Alby bent down to take a closer look at him. Newt shook his head no. "What happened?"
"Nick just went berserk." Winston tried to explain, "I told him he had to stop killing shit but he wouldn't. He just kept slicing their necks and throwing them away so I went and got Newt. Then Newt told him to stop too and Nick just fucking went at it. I didn't know what to do. Newt said to get you and I told Ben and Minho to help when I was trying to find you. Holy shit I was terrified! I don't know what happened to Nick. I don't know what's wrong with him Alby."
"It's alright." Alby told him a soothing voice. "Everything is alright."
"Newt, I'm sorry." Winston turned to Newt who was still sitting on the floor against the wall, "Are you alright? I didn't mean for this. Oh fucking shuck! I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do I-"
"It's okay." Newt smiled lightly, "It's not your fault Winston. I'm okay. I want to check on Minho." Newt tried to pull himself to his feet but he was still shaking.
"No, not now." Alby sat next to him, "Just wait. He's fine he's with Clint and Jeff."
"You're right. I'm just bloody worried you know? Nick got him pretty bad."
"Winston's story is correct?"
"Yes."
"And Minho and Ben? When did they show up?"
"Shortly after Winston left. He was ready to kill me and I was ready to kill him when Minho showed up." Newt recounted the events, "Didn't even think for a second before taking Nick down. Ben came to help me but I told him to help Minho. That's when Nick got him real good. The axe hit his shoulder shucking hard."
"Okay. Calm down. It's all good." Alby tried to stay calm; "We'll deal with Nick tomorrow. He's in holding for the night. Winston I want you to go to sleep. I'll take you to the sleeping quarters."
Winston nodded, "Okay."
Alby got up but before he left he turned to Newt, "Go see Minho."
Newt pushed open the door to the health hut. The room was filled with the familiar glow of firelight and smelt of burning wood. It was very pleasant to Newt and despite his still shaking hands he felt comforted. His eyes lay to rest on Minho. He was the only one left in the health hut. The others had gone to sleep so he sat upright in the bed, his legs over the side, alone. Newt's breath began to catch as he looked at Minho, shirtless with a white bandage wrapped tightly around his shoulder.
"Hey." Minho looked at him bashfully.
"Hi." Newt smiled a tight-lipped smile, "Thank you for, you know, saving my life."
"It's no biggie." Minho pat the empty space on the bed beside him. Newt drifted towards it eagerly and sat heavily beside him. "I'd do it many more times."
Newt did not know what to say. Instead he wrapped himself around Minho and hugged him tightly.
"Ouch." Minho yelped, "Damn Newt watch the shoulder."
"Sorry." He let go.
"I didn't say stop." Minho put his arm around Newt's shoulders and pulled him into his chest, "Just be careful."
"Thank you." Newt murmured gently as a tear rolled out of his eyes.
Minho took up one of his shaking hands and held it still within his own, "It's the least I could do."
Newt looked up into his eyes then down at his shoulder. The bandage was soaked through red now. He stood up quickly, wiping the few tears from his face, which threw a surprised expression onto Minho face.
"What're you doing?" Minho asked.
"I should switch the bandages." He moved precisely towards where the extra bandage and the bottle of medical alcohol Clint had left out. "Don't worry I know what I'm doing. I spent so much time in here with Clint that he taught me all this medical stuff. I got sort of bored you know?"
"I know." Minho cracked a smile. Newt smiled hesitantly back. Then he brought the bandage and the alcohol back to the bed. With his still slightly shaky hands he carefully unwrapped the bandage from his shoulder. Minho watched his hands carefully. When the bandage was removed it was put away for washing the next day. The wound now stuck out in all its glory. The long, dark cut made its way across Minho's left shoulder starting right under his neck and sloping to the end of his shoulder blade. With a towel, which Newt had soaked in the medical alcohol, he dabbed at the wound slowly. Minho winced and Newt rushed to apologize. Minho told him it wasn't too bad. Newt finished up with the alcohol and gathered the new bandage. He rewrapped the wound in sure strokes. At first Minho watched his hands carefully once again but he soon found himself watching Newt's face; his lower lip bit and eyebrows furrowed in concentration while his blonde bangs kept needing to be shaken from his eyes.
"There." Newt clasped the bandage together, "All done."
"Good job." Minho looked at the bandage for the first time since looking at Newt's face.
"It's not really that hard." Newt said as he blinked his eyes twice and turned to look at Minho's face, just at his jaw as to not make eye contact.
A silence stretched between them before Minho broke it with the words, "Newt, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"You do not embarrass me. That is not why. This is hard for me but I need to tell you the reasons. It's not fair for you."
"Minho I don't care-"
"You do care." He stopped Newt's lie, "So I'll tell you."
Newt nodded as his heart sped up in his chest.
"It's Gally."
"Gally, the bloody shank!"
"No Newt, it's what I did to Gally."
Newt's attention shifted, "What you did?"
"Gally wanted to-" Minho stopped. He was having trouble saying what he needed to.
"Gally wanted to what?" Newt pushed on.
"You know the truth or dare thing?"
"Yeah?"
"Well Gally wanted to do that."
"I don't understand?"
"Gally wanted to do that with me."
"Gally wanted to kiss you!" Newt moved back unintentionally. Minho tried not to notice.
"Yes." Minho looked down, "I told him I hated it. That I would never-" He stopped and swallowed hard, "That I would never love a man."
The words cut through Newt, "Do you really believe that?"
"No." Minho said simply.
"So you can't let others know because of Gally. You're saving Gally hurt. That's unusually kind of you."
"I don't care about Gally." Newt gave him a look that made him rethink his words, "I mean I don't really care about Gally. I guess I do care about him a little bit. The truth is that I'm scared mostly." He paused, "Yeah. Really shucking scared."
"That's okay." Newt smiled at him slightly to reassure him, "As long as you promise me one thing."
"What's that?"
"You have to promise that it won't be a secret forever. You can be scared now but not forever. Promise you will let everyone know eventually."
"I will." Minho whispered as he leaned in towards Newt.
Newt leaned towards him as well so that there was less than a centimeter between their mouths, "You have to promise."
"I promise I won't be scared forever. They will know." The breaths between Minho's words were caught by Newt's upper lip as a gentle caress of air. Newt smiled at him then he cupped his strong square jaw between his long thin hands and bridged the space between their lips. This kiss was very unlike the kisses shared in the runners hut just nights before. This kiss was slow, long and lingered in the perfect silence of the health hut. Newt pulled away slowly. Minho stared back at him with all the sharp angles of his face highlighted by the fire light.
"You're pretty good at facing your fears." A sly grin pulled Newt's lips apart.
