Minho kept his gaze fixed on Chuck as Newt asked him questions pertaining to his original reason for being here: Nick's disappearance.
"So Chuck, do you have any idea where Nick was the day before the incident happened?" Newt asked carefully, wincing at the thought of being attacked.
Chuck glanced nervously at Minho who was staring daggers at him before answering in a hushed whisper, "I think he was in the maze that day. I could be wrong of course. I tend to be wrong. I don't know how good this information is anyways-"
"Stop." Newt shook his head, "Your information is good and I'd like to hear more."
Chuck nodded.
"Why do you think he was in the maze?"
"Well I saw him in the morning by the east wall entrance." Chuck relayed the information.
"Minho and Ben were using the North entrance."
"Yes. He was there one second then the next he was gone. I couldn't find him all day until just before the runners got back. He was really tired and had a limp. He began eating all this bread behind Fry's back and shouting at people. He was acting really weird. "
"Is that all?"
"That's all I know." Chuck looked towards Minho, who was giving him dirty looks, "It's all I know! I swear!"
Newt let out a sigh, "Minho, chill out."
Minho cocked his chin and pointed at Chuck, "How do we know he won't tell? Can we trust him?"
"Shuck!" Newt rolled his eyes, "Chuck is trustworthy. He won't tell okay?"
"I won't." Chuck agreed, "I won't let anyone know you two are a-" He paused as an expression of uncertainty passed over him, "Are you two a couple?"
Newt looked over at Minho, catching his eyes in a solemn question. Were they even a couple?
Minho responded, "Yes."
Newt felt himself begin to beam so he covered his mouth casually with his hand.
"I won't tell. I promise."
"Okay." Minho nodded as Chuck got up to leave.
"Thanks for everything Chuck." Newt said as he followed Chuck to the door to close it behind him. When Chuck was gone Newt let loose a laugh.
This laugh took Minho by surprise, "What?"
"You're bloody ridiculous!" Newt continued to laugh, "You were so flustered. So much for Mr. Tough Guy!"
"It's not funny!" Minho protested as Newt walked back towards him with a large smile splitting open his face.
"But it is!" He punched him in the shoulder lightly, "You should've seen your face! And Chuck's face too! Bloody hilarious!"
"Don't make me shut you up!" Minho threatened with a slight smile.
"You are the biggest bluff I've ever seen." Newt threatened. Minho lunged at him but he ducked beneath him and continued, "All tough until our little secret was almost exposed." Minho turned around and threw himself at Newt catching the other boy off-guard and sending him to the ground beneath him. Newt shook his hair out of his eyes to find his body locked in place on the ground beneath Minho's. He smirked deviously, "Bet you wouldn't want to be caught in this position eh? It's quite compromising."
Minho took a second of silence to look down at the boy beneath him with wonder. He then realized that maybe he liked Newt a little too much for his own good. He thought that maybe he did love Newt, so he said, "You're such a shank."
Newt smiled with a blush covering his dimples, "But I'm your shank."
Minho locked eyes with him and let their lips meet slowly in a long embrace.

The next day brought rain. It brought rain that drenched the glade and its gladers in a damp blanket. Minho and Newt left the sleeping quarters promptly that morning to tell Alby of their final theory to what had happened to Nick. Minho pulled his jacket up over his head to shield himself while Newt just let the rain hit him freely as they ran across the soaked glade to the homestead.
"Fucking rain." Minho grumpily remarked as he shed the soaking jacket off revealing his dampened hair.
Newt, with a grin, shook out his sopping hair sending water droplets flying in all directions, "The rain ain't that bad."
"I hate it." Minho crinkled his nose.
"Maybe you should give it a chance?" He teased back.
"Give the rain a chance? I don't like being wet and uncomfortable; so no the rain isn't getting any chances."
"Nice day out, huh?" Alby greeted them with a smile.
"It's lovely out." Newt grinned at Minho, who rolled his eyes.
"A little rain never hurt anyone."
"Except maybe Minho's hair." Newt chuckled.
"Ha ha. Funny." Minho's lips threatened a small smile.
Alby laughed under his breath at the comment before getting down to business; "So what's the theory? What happened to Nick?"
"The only possible situations are that he was in fact stung by a griever, or he just went psycho all on his own." Minho told him.
"But considering the circumstances we believe the first to be much more likely." Newt explained, "Knowing Nick's character it is very unlikely that he would become violent and irrational all on his own. We found from Winston that he was missing the day before his behavioral changes. Chuck came to us last night with information on his whereabouts that day. Chuck saw him plan on entering the maze through the east entrance and then lost sight of him until just before Ben and Minho came back from running through the north entrance. Chuck as well, claims that Nick returned to dinner that day with a limp and unusual behavior such as violent anger and the stealing of food."
"Did Chuck actually see Nick enter the maze?" Alby asked for clarification.
"No." Newt admitted, "But he did claim to see him around the eat entrance one second then gone the next until the runner's came back. Nick was not seen in the glade by anyone that day. All the evidence points to him entering the maze that day."
"And you're suggesting that when he was in the maze he was stung by a griever?"
"Yes."
Minho chimed in, "Nick came back showing all the symptoms of a griever sting; unusually violent and irrational behaviors, lack of self control and pain. It seems the only viable option at this point, Alby."
"It does indeed." Alby had a look of thoughtfulness, "There is one thing I do not understand. How did he get stung during the day?"
Newt shook his head, "I'm not sure."
"But it must have happened. There must have been a griever out there during the day." Minho confirmed.
"If that is so I want you and Ben to be extra cautious next time you go out." Alby commanded. "You are good men. I don't want you endangering yourself unnecessarily."
"Okay."
"Do you understand?" He looked Minho in the eye.
He replied, "I understand."

It continued to rain all day. The rain just kept on coming so no work was done. The gladers were all hauled up inside the homestead for dinner and had started a game of cards. It was a rowdy and loud game that they called "Trip". Everyone played, and everyone played with heart. They sat in a large circle each with four cards as Alby shuffled the rest. Fry Pan was winning, second was Newt, and Gally was situated in a close third. Minho was holding up a weak seventh. His naturally competitive spirit caught hold and took over in the final round where he had nothing to lose but losing itself. He felt an overwhelming rush at the thought of beating Gally. In the final round he decided to go all out. He'd push the limits and either win or go down swinging. He sized up the other players; Newt was playing safe and Gally was playing a little dangerously as to hopefully move up without losing third place. When it came to Minho's turn he eyed up the cards in front of him. To win all he needed to do was play an ace of spades, but that would send Newt to nearly last place; that or he'd lose and end the game. He played it anyway.
"I play the ace." Minho said as he placed the card on top of the others. Newt gave him a funny look with his one eyebrow raised and his smile tight lipped as if holding back a laugh.
"Oh!" Fry yelled, "Minho! You get fucking tripped!"
Roars of laughter and grunts of those who lost erupted as the gladers threw their cards carelessly into the middle. The game was over. Minho had lost and the standings did not change. He risked it but lost. He was not mad though. Gally was laughing at him but that didn't matter. All that mattered was Newt's dimpled grin spread wide as he laughed silently across the circle. That laugh drove Minho crazy. He swore the butterflies in his stomach had all been paralyzed by Newt's stupid fucking laugh because, like him, they were unable to move and unable to drag their eyes away from him.

The rain did not stop. It continued up until the sky was dark from nightfall instead of storm clouds.
"That's a lot of bloody water." Newt remarked as he watched it in some sort of a daze as it fell to the ground. It was gentler now, much lighter and much softer than before.
"Waste of a day." Minho remarked as he stood on the edge of the balcony-covered area around the sleeping quarters.
Newt turned to face him with a quirky half smirk on his lips, "I don't think it was that bad. I actually kind of like the rain."
"So 'that's a lot of bloody water' wasn't a bad thing?"
"Not at all." He looked back outside, "Nature is amazing. Rain or shine there is always something beautiful to look at. Imagine all that has to happen for us to just witness one raindrop. Just one requires so much. It's amazing."
"Good thing you're cute." Minho smiled.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because if it wasn't your mouth these thing were coming out of I'd probably have already gone to bed."
"Minho." Newt poked his chest hard, "You will enjoy the rain."
"How will you make me enjoy the rain?"
"You'll see." He left him with smirk and a wink before heading back to his bunk. Minho returned to his bunk a minute later with a weird excitement creeping though him.

Minho was jolted out of his sleep by a hand thrown over his mouth. He sat up with all his nerves on edge and his muscles braced for action to find it was Newt holding his hand over his mouth. Through the darkness Minho saw he had his other hand to his mouth symbolizing that Minho should stay quiet as well.
"Follow me." Newt whispered through the silence of the other sleeping gladers. Minho quietly and as quickly as possible laced up his boots and threw his jacket over his shoulders before following Newt outside of the sleeping quarters. Newt grabbed his hand, sending a shock up Minho's arm and a blush spiraling across his face.
"What're you doing?" Minho asked quietly, "Where are we going?"
"Its about time you liked the rain as much as I do." Newt tugged at his arm pulling him out into the rain that still poured down in large heavy droplets. Minho hesitantly stepped forward. Newt tugged on him even harder and enticed him to follow his bright eyes out into the rain. Minho took his first step out of the shelter and into the rain. A slight smile tugged on Newt's lips as Minho joined him, letting the rain soak into his hair. Newt walked him into the middle of the glade and stopped just before the edge of the woods.
"So this is your plan?" Minho felt the rain begin to chill him and he shivered, "Drag me out into the rain in the middle of the night?"
"No." Newt shook his head and pulled him closer, "This is my idea." Newt pressed his lips to Minho's softly and Minho suddenly found he was no longer chilly. He noticed Newt's eyes, gently closed, as he kissed him before he too closed his. With his sight now blinded all he could feel was the other boy's lips pressing gently yet surely on his own. He let his mouth open to be greeted by a tug on his shirt collar as Newt pushed himself more into him. He let his tongue slip into the other boy's mouth as he too grappled for more to hold on to. Minho felt a hot breath of air pass through his lips as Newt let loose a low sigh. Minho pulled away with a shaky exhale to look across into the eyes of his partner. Newt was blushing bright red, not even the rain dribbling through his hair and down his face being able to sooth the heat behind his dimpled cheeks. He wore a smile that matched Minho's. It was a cheeky lopsided smile that came with the thrill of something so scandalous, something so close to home, something so easily seen; had not everyone fallen into a heavy sleep hours ago.
"Newt-" Minho lay his hand in gentle caress against Newt's jawline, "Do you happen to be thinking what I am?"
"Tree house?" Newt's eyes sparkled.
Minho's lips tugged at the ends forming a smirk, "Yeah. Tree house."

It had taken Newt longer than usual to climb up the ladder to the tree house. This worried Minho but Newt reassured him that it was nothing but a worthless worry. He said he felt nothing, that he was just slow. Minho offered his hand to him on the last rung nevertheless. Newt used his grip on Minho's hand to propel himself into the tree house and onto Minho, who fell backwards onto the bags of grain stored under the small rain shelter situated at the top of the tree house. Newt grinned slyly as he looked down at Minho beneath him. His white sleeping shirt was damp still, bearing each and every muscle underneath it in an outline of white cloth, and his hair slick against his forehead.
"Minho, I'll have you know," He whispered in a low voice, much lower than Minho had ever heard his voice go before, as he leaned his mouth towards Minho's neck, "My leg may have been weakened," His lips now lay against the other boy's exposed skin, still slick from rain, "But I am not weak." His hot breaths against his cool skin caused Minho to shiver as Newt continued, "And I plan on making you weak." Minho's breaths quickened as he felt Newt's lips press down upon his neck. The kisses were soft, hesitant even, at first but they quickly intensified. Each respective kiss pressed down harder than the last as they made a trail from the base of Minho's neck to where it began to meet his jaw. Newt stopped here; at the top of Minho's neck just as his jawbone connected to it. Minho could hear Newt's breaths, surprisingly steady, as his mouth lay next to his ear. Minho's eyes, closed a while earlier, fluttered open as he felt Newt's weight bearing down on his shift onto his hips. He looked up to see Newt, now with a worried expression in his eyes, sitting against his hips looking down on him. His concerned words followed;
"Are you okay? Is this okay?"
"Oh, shuck." Minho's moaned lightly, "It's so much more than okay."
Newt smiled shyly. He'd been afraid he'd gotten too far ahead of himself, but now that he had the go ahead he held nothing back. He folded himself over Minho once more letting his lips meet his law line with a new spark. As he sucked at the skin under his jaw he felt Minho's body squirm beneath his own. The feeling made him smirk as it filled him with a slight pride and a slight embarrassment. He pulled away to see Minho's chest rising and falling hard. Newt slid his long body down Minho's until his mouth was level with his. Minho didn't open his eyes as he waited for Newt's mouth to once again be against his skin. He was shocked, however, to find that the blond boy placed his mouth upon his this time. Minho attempted to sit up but Newt pushed back on him. He stayed down as Newt let his body fall on top of Minho's. He was much lighter and his weight had no chance of crushing him. Despite the damp clothing they both wore heat rose up between them as Minho ran his fingers through Newt's damp hair causing his mouth to fall deeper into Minho's. Minho's already heavy breaths became somehow became even heavier when he felt Newt's teeth grab his lower lip and tug on it. Minho felt his body jolt unfamiliarly from under the other boy's body. He must have held his breath as Newt began to suck and bite the trail back down his neck, as by the time he reached his collarbone he found himself letting out a long, low, air filled moan. Minho wrapped his arms around Newt and tightly pulled him into his chest. Newt let a small laugh escape his lips as he buried his face in the curve of Minho's neck.

The rain began to slow into a light dribble as the night entered its final stages. Minho let his eyes lay closed as he felt the rise and fall of Newt's chest on top of his, and his breaths gentle and even against his neck. Newt's eyes hung heavy on the edge of sleep.
"I don't mind the rain too much now." Minho smiled as he spoke in hushed tones to the nearly absent boy that lay on him. Sleep was bond to take Newt any second now.
"Mhm. I told you s-" Newt murmured quietly, not quite finishing his thought.
"Newt?" Minho whispered. He got no response. "Newt?" He asked again but still got no response. He let a few minutes pass before saying, "I think I love you." The only response was the quiet patter of rain and Newt's even breaths of sleep. Minho opened his eyes to look over at the other boy that lay at rest on his chest. His eyes lay closed in peaceful bliss and his chapped lips hung open in a small 'o' shape. Minho smiled to him as he said aloud one last time, "I love you, Newt."

AN: Happy Valentines Day! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave me a review if you'd like (I would greatly appreciate it!)