The Underground (Minho x Reader)

Don't Take The Credit

Y/N and Minho were making a lot of progress. Together, the two were nothing short of unstoppable. The way their minds worked together and how they saw the world through a different lens proved useful. Normally, Minho would shut down and ignore anyone who challenged his ideas or told him he might be wrong. But with Y/N, he listened like his life depend on her words. In a sense, they did.

In their months together as runners, they'd faced parts of the maze Minho hoped they never would. Countless times they'd fought off grievers, close calls with the maze doors grinding closed and endless heartbreak when a lead turned into a dead end.

With Y/N as his running partner though, he didn't find it so hard to keep his head up. It was awful in the maze, there was no denying that. But having someone running with him each day, a reason to wake up and prep their supplies for the day, kept him going. He'd be quite content actually if they were all stuck here for an undetermined amount of time. With Y/N, he was happy. He'd never actually admit it, but he truly was.

"Hey, shuck." Y/N tossed a crumpled up piece of paper at Minho's head. "Your brain melting?"

"No, it's as solid as ever." He quipped back. Minho was always so confident in his words but Y/N could see the confusion in his eyes. He'd been daydreaming about something.

"Whatcha thinking about?" She asked.

Y/N looked just as painfully bored and tired as he did. Standing up and stretching, shuffling some papers, he shrugged."Nothing."

"Liar." Y/N narrowed her eyes playfully on him and also stacked her papers.

"What do you want me to say?" Minho took long strides and held the door, waiting for Y/N. "That I'm thinking about the fact we actually make a good team?"

Y/N stopped. "Did you actually just say something nice?"

Grumbling and kicking at the dirt as they made their way through the deadheads, Minho reached up and grabbed hold of his running pack. That was his strange little habit. Y/N noticed he only did it when nervous, deep in thought, or happy about something. She couldn't quite place his emotion here. "Yeah, I did say something nice. Don't tell anybody."

"Okay, okay." Y/N raised her arms in defence. "If it matters, I think we make a good team too. I still just wish we knew what these things meant." She looked to her arm.

Minho already knew what they meant. There was no way it was anything other than their initials. They worked too well together. Before all of this, they had to have known one another.

Tonight was bonfire night. Making their way through the glade, boys ran past them laughing and yelling. "Who's Gally going to squash today?" Y/N asked.

Minho laughed a little. "Hopefully dimwit who knocked the map over last week."

"Wow," Y/N giggled. She felt bad for doing so. "Really wishing the worst on people, huh?"

"He deserves it." Minho held his position firm. He was still choked the guy had just walked in and screwed the whole thing up. Sure, he enjoyed the time spent with Y/N fixing the map, but it was unnecessary work.

The night went better than most bonfires. Minho actually spent most of it with Y/N, laughing, messing around, and causing a ruckus. It made him feel human. With the night winding down now though, the pair sat at the fire shoulder to shoulder, Minho felt his stomach sink a little.

He was starting to really worry about his own sanity. He'd liked Y/N since the day they met. Deep inside of himself, he knew that to be true. Since then, his feelings had only grown. They also showed no sign of slowing down. He cared more about Y/N than he did of himself. Y/N's opinion meant more than anyones here and he'd do anything to keep her safe and put her chances of getting out of the maze above his own.

Swallowing down the overbearing feelings rising in his chest, he tried to engage himself back in the conversation buzzing around. It was just him, Frypan, Newt and Y/N left, but it was good company. With time, Y/N fell asleep at Minho's side and the others got up to leave.

Newt and Frypan stumbled over with giddy smiles at the sight of their friends tiredly sitting in the warm light of the fire. Minho looked a little uncomfortable but Newt new it wasn't because he didn't want to be there. He was afraid the moment would end.

"Don't play any mean pranks while she's asleep," Newt warned Minho with a small laugh and he dropped a little flower on Y/N's head. He was far too intoxicated from Gally's disgusting drink to do anything else with it. "Ahhh..." Newt grunted as the flower fell to the ground.

Minho carefully picked it up. "I'll make sure she gets it." He smiled a little.

"Don't pretend it's from you." Frypan point a finger at Minho but it was more like over his shoulder. The cook grabbed onto Newt's shoulder for balance. "She'll know it's a lie. You're not that nice."

"Ah," Minho couldn't help but sigh at his friends drunken state. It was pretty hilarious. The one perk to being a runner: he had an excuse to never drink that crap. "Don't worry, Fry."

Minho watched his friends stumble off. He smiled to himself and looked down to the tiny little wilted flower in his fingers, then to the girl. Looking so at peace, he didn't want to move. He'd stay here all night and be totally content with it.

He went to look up to the sky but something caught his attention on the other side of the fire. Alby. He motioned for Minho to get up and join him. The look on Alby's face wasn't one of take your time. It was of I don't care, get here now.

Minho got up carefully and walked over to Alby a little hesitantly. "There better be a good reason you made me get up."

"Have you lost your mind?" Alby's voice was cut and dry. Harsh. Accusatory.

"Sorry?" Minho honestly doubt if he was hearing Alby right.

"You've let her get inside your head." Alby motioned over Minho's shoulder at the girl.

Y/N sat there, head drooping as she slept. He felt the tiny flower in his hand and then looked back to Alby. He knew there was no hiding his expression. He was hurt.

"You still don't trust her?" Minho challenged.

"No, I don't." He crossed his arms. "She didn't show up in the box. Someone sent her here looking for you. How did she survive the night in the maze alone?"

The keeper of runners thew his head back in frustration. If it were anyone else, absolutely anyone, Minho should be tearing their face off by now. But this was Alby, he couldn't just throw away his job as a runner like that.

"Maybe it's because she's smart. Maybe, it's because she's the best runner we have." Minho's voice was getting louder. "It doesn't matter who sent her here or why she's here. Just like the rest of us, she can't remember anything. What matters is who she is now and what she does now. And I know the truth. It's that she is good, selfless and would throw her life aside for anyone here. Yours included."

He turned to leave Alby to fester with those thoughts, but he turned back. "Honestly, what's gotten into you? Forget asking me that question. Ask yourself."

After he'd said it, he half regret it. But, there was no turning back now. He may as well make himself heard. "You think it's okay to look down on her the way you do when she's the one keeping this place alive?"

"I think you need to cool off." Alby fumed but his body remain still. "A night in the slammer."

"You're kidding me." Minho barked. "I—"

"Go." Alby finally let his frustration out and snapped in Minho's face.

Knowing he'd pushed his luck a little too far, Minho shoved past Alby and strode into the dark of the Glade. He'd go to the slammer. He'd spend the night. Whatever. It didn't matter.