•||Maze runner •||• Imagines & Preferences ||•

Promise? - Aris

–

The sand and bits of rock scuff against your boots as you clean your rifle, wiping away the desert-dust that covers the black bits of your weapon.  Setting it aside on your bed, you bring your boots up, tightening the laces and knotting them.

Rumbling sounds from somewhere in the camp, you can hear the tires of the jeeps and trucks turning as they return from the ambush site. 

Sighing, you shrug on your coat, pulling your arms through the fur-lined sleeves and wrapping a sheer scarf around your neck.  You allow your boots to fall back on the ground and you stand up, straightening up and reaching over to grab onto your rifle which you sling over your shoulder.

Something peeks out of your pocket, and you tilt your head down to look at what it is.  Swallowing, you stare at the frayed bits of yarn and string that have drifted away from the bottom of your coat.  It is a bracelet.  It was Aris’ bracelet.

Fear. 

Panic.

Screams.

“Aris - hold on!”  

You meet Aris’ eyes for a split second, an eternity before he is pulled away by a man dressed in all black.  The fibers and strings of a bracelet rip away from his wrist, and you are being pulled away by Harriet and Sonya, and another man in a brown coat and a scarf covering his face.

“(Y/N)!”

You shiver, your eyes blinking rapidly.  You push your memories away, stuffing the bracelet back to the bottom of you pocket.  You cannot afford to think about Aris during a time like this.

Pulling the scarf up and over your mouth and nose, you step outside into the sweltering heat of the Scorch.  Sand billows from all directions - you cough on impulse.

You see Sonya and Harriet stepping out from a nearby jeep, and you nod at them, allowing your eyes to crinkle in a soft smile.  A soft, sad smile.

They are accompanied by a group of boys and two girls and a man.  Something jabs at your heart and you look away, unable to stare at their faces for too long.

A loud thud makes you swivel back around to stare at the group.  A girl has fallen, her breath coming out in sharp intakes and desperate wheezing.  You step back swiftly, your eyes flickering to Vince who has now taken out his rifle.  You bite your lip, unable to look away.

And then Marie comes walking past you, her voice enunciating  clearly in the wind.  “Stop!”

You hear her talking to Vince, who sets his rifle down.  You listen and your eyes widen as you realize that this is Thomas, this is the Thomas that the Right Arm has been talking about ever since the three of you : Harriet, you, and Sonya had arrived.

You step closer, curiously.

The girl is taken towards the set up medical area, and you see Harriet and Sonya running towards you, their hands pulling their scarfs down from their faces.  A boy is following them, he is too far away for you to see.

“(Y/N)!” Sonya cries out in excitement, her eyes bright and exuberant.  Her hands come to grab onto your arms, pulling you forward.  “Look who we found!  The dumb-ass,” she laughs, her voice infectious.

Harriet smiles, “you’re going to like this.”  A knowing look rests deep behind her eyes and she pushes you forward, urging you to walk quicker.

You squint, your eyes trying to focus on the figure that approaches you.  You can feel Sonya bouncing on her heels and Harriet nudging your shoulders.

And then you see him.

Your knees buckle, and your eyes soften, a sharp pain piercing in your throat.  “Aris?” You say, your voice cracking.

You pull down your scarf, your hands trembling and mouth dropping.

Aris’ eyes widen, “oh my god, (Y/N)?”

You let your rifle sling down from your shoulder and you hear it clatter to the ground as you run towards the boy, tears pricking at your eyes.

Aris meets you halfway, his arms wrapping around you as he pulls you into a huge hug.  A hug full of warmth and happiness and unsaid promises.  You bury your head on his shoulder and breathe heavily, unable to believe that this is him.  That this is Aris and he is alive and here and hugging you.

You pull away, your hands rummaging in your pocket as your fingers catch onto a threaded bracelet.  You gently push it towards him, your expression open and happy and pure.

Aris laughs.  “You still have that?”  His eyes seem to sparkle and melt into little pools of rainwater and onyx.  “After everything that happened, you kept it?”

You bring your hands up to shyly touch the corners of his cheekbones and the soft bits of skin that line his forehead.  “Of course I kept it.  It’s the only thing I had left of you.”

Aris’ hands come up to grasp yours, and he runs his fingers over your knuckles gently.  It is like a whisp of wind, a touch so hesitant you are not sure you have felt it.  “When we got separated, I thought you were dead.”  His expression changes to something so serious that it hurts your heart.  “I thought - I thought I wouldn’t ever get to see you again.”

You squeeze his hands tighter, and he chews on his lip, staring down at his shoes. 

His eyes turn to look at Sonya and Harriet who stand watching from a distance.

Sonya’s hands are clasped underneath her chin, and Harriet is leaning forward with her lips twisted into a happy smile.  You can practically see the gleam in her eyes.  The knowing, I told you so, look.

You stare at them both in exasperation, and they finally sigh, picking up their feet to walk somewhere else.

Soon enough it is just you and Aris in the clearing, and you look at him quietly, unsure as to what he wants to say.

“I missed you,” he admits quietly, his voice barely heard against the wind that whips the sand back and forth.

You squeeze his fingertips gently.  “I’m still here, Aris.”

He looks down to smile at you, a toothy grin that makes his freckled cheeks and crystal eyes beautiful.

“I know,” he says, his voice raspy from the heat. 

You wrap your arms around him again, resting your head against his shoulder. 

“I missed this,” he says quietly.  “I don’t want to lose you again, (Y/N).”

As he says this you can feel him tense, his back stiffening and head coming up to stare down at you.  “I can’t lose you again.”

His eyes are big and wide and you lose yourself in them momentarily, your heart softening at his worry.

“You won’t.”  You stand up on your tiptoes to press a chaste kiss on his cheek.  “I’ll always be with you.”

“Promise?”

You nod.  “Promise.”