hey guys, all rights go to James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner. I don't own any of the characters other than Arden, Evelyn, Leo, and Paige.

A/N: Use of the word rape, some shouting, shouldn't be too bad. Enjoy!

So maybe asking Minho if he was okay wasn't the best idea...

In Arden's defense, her brain was completely fried. From the nightmare last night to the Gathering and almost being attacked and killed by someone who attempted to kill and rape her friend, she could practically feel her brain cells dying.

Minho, on the other hand, took her statement in the worst way possible

"Am I alright," he laughed in disbelief and looked seconds away from either screaming in rage or falling apart, "You were attacked yesterday, you could have been raped by that good-for-nothing shuck-for-brains, you were almost attacked again today, and David would have killed you had it not been for Evelyn, and you're asking me if I'm alright?"

Arden stared at him in hesitance. She had no clue how to defuse the situation and she was sure anything that she could say would make it worse. But Minho was shaking, his hands vibrating from the stress of the situation, she had to do something. Anything!

"But I wasn't," she exclaimed and all thoughts of calming Minho down just flew out the window., "I wasn't hurt, I wasn't raped, and I wasn't killed! So why does the rest matter if I'm nothing happened to me?"

"But you could've," Moinho shouted back at her, "You could have been! You could have been hurt, raped, or even killed! Why don't you understand that!"

Her hands were clenched at her side and she could hardly hear him over the rush of blood in her ears. They had both stepped closer towards each other in the midst of their argument and there was hardly a foot between them. Does he have any faith in me, she wondered, Or does he think I'm just some damsel in distress.

"And what the hell does it matter to you anyway!" She shouted, "Why the hell do you even care! I've only been here for two and a half weeks! You hardly even know me so why the shuck-!"

In one fluid motion, Minho grabbed her biceps and shook her. Arden's voice died in her throat and she stared at Minho with wide eyes.

"Because I can't lose you!" Minho shouted, his eyes filled with raw emotion. His shoulders sagged under an invisible weight, "I can't... I can't lose you, Arden... I just can't..."

His breathing was ragged and Arden was extremely aware of how close they were. His shaky exhales warmed her face and the grip he had on her slowly went lax. The tension that was previously in the room seemed to fade slightly, but it seemed to mirage to her stomach, twisting into a knot that settled itself in the bottom of her stomach. She swallowed thickly and her eyes skimmed over his face before returning back to his mocha eyes.

"Why," she asked softly, "Why can't you lose me?"

Minho continued to stare at her, his eyes seemingly piercing her soul. Emotions that Arden couldn't even begin to identify swimming in his mocha pool, the only one she could identify was conflict.

His eyes shifted down towards her lips before they made their way back up to her silver-blue eyes. He licked his lips and exhaled shakily, the grip on her arm going lax and his hands drifted down towards her waist.

"Min-"

"Shh," he whispered, "Don't say anything."

Her words immediately died on her lips. She didn't know when it had happened, but she's put her entire trust in Minho, she was completely wrapped around his finger. He could tell her almost anything and she would believe him.

Minho rested his forehead against hers and he looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the Glade, the world, the universe. Like she was the most amazing thing that has ever come into existence and that ever will come into existence.

"I do care about you," Minho whispered, "I don't know why I care about you this much, but I do. It doesn't even feel like I've known you for two weeks, it feels like a lifetime. You're the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of when I go to sleep. I don't know if it was too fast or too sudden, but when I saw David trying to attack you today, it just... I almost lost you today and... I can't lose Arden because... because I love you Arden."

Arden was quiet and Minho sighed, pulling away, "It's okay if you don't feel the same, I'm just-"

Arden grabbed the collar of his shirt and smashed her lips against his. Butterflies exploded in her chest and heat coiled in her stomach. Her mind was numb with bliss and her hands came up just barely touching his jaw.

Minho grunted in surprise at Arden's sudden burst of affection. He stared at her with wide, surprised eyes before they drifted close. He melted into the kiss and his hands went back to gently holding her hips. Arden's hand drifted up and tangled itself into his dark, soft hair.

Her endearment and infatuation for Minho flooded through her veins like poison. It was strong, heart-stopping and she would happily let kill her if that meant she could stay with Minho. Her blood was hot and her skin boiled at his touch. Her knees went weak and Minho's grip on her waist tightened to keep her from falling.

The need for air came quicker than they wanted and they pulled away with reluctance. Their foreheads rested together and they stared into each other's eyes breathlessly. Neither knew how long they stayed there and, quite frankly, neither one cared.

Arden felt herself getting sucked into his mocha pools, and she was suddenly hit with how much Minho meant to her. How he would reassure her if she had a nightmare, how he would crack dumb jokes to help her relax after a long day, and how he would always tell her before running into the maze that, "I'll find a way out Arden. I promise."

She didn't know when and she didn't know how, but she fell for Minho.

And she fell hard.

"I love you too," she whispered.

He stared at her in disbelief before grinning softly, swooping in and stealing another kiss. She giggled merrily and returned the kiss. She fit against Minho like a puzzle piece, their hands knowing what to do and where to go. They pulled away and were grinning like the love-sick idiots that they were.

Maybe they fell a little too hard, or a little too fast, but to them, it didn't matter.

It didn't matter if the world was against them. They had each other.

Arden knew they would be fine.