One Killer Maze

Epilogue: Liu/Sully

The knock on the door was quiet and had a brief pause to it. Only for two seconds was the room quiet, no words spoken on either side, but the door opened slowly, stopping so that only a foot could be wedged between the door. A male, a face she knew, stood worried in the small opening of the door. He smiled, the stitches on the edges of his mouth lifting which looked rather painful.

"Y/N," he breathed a sigh of relief and widened the area at the door. He only stepped in the bedroom when it looked like she was prepared for him to do so, but halted and stood in place as if he forgot something.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" He fidgeted nervously, tugging on the end of his scarf. Y/N looked around the room before she answered. Plain, soft blue walls with carpeted flooring. She was lying on a small bed, white sheets and a brown blanket covering the lower half of her body. There was a dresser to the far right of her and a wardrobe at the far left side of the room; the bedroom wasn't very large to begin with. A double window with an indented seating area, from what she could see, there was barely any light out.

Liu was still patiently waiting for an answer, which wasn't that hard due to the small growl that came from her stomach. The two of their ears perked up and Y/N's flushed with embarrassment. The brunette chuckled and nodded.

"I-I'll get something for you to eat then," he shuffled out of the room, his emerald eyes gleaming with unfamiliar compassion from what he looked in the maze. The door shut and the female was finally left alone.

Y/N sat in silence for a few moments longer, realizing that the kitchen must've not been too far from the bedroom. She slipped out of bed and wobbled on her two feet, which were bare. Y/N also realize a second thing; she was now wearing a pale nightgown. It wasn't thin, but it wasn't snug to her skin. Air flowed nicely throughout the garment. A fuzzy feeling grew in Y/N's stomach and she slowly made her way to the center of the room.

She didn't spot it before, but there was a small, low bench in front of the bed. Folded clothes and a pair of ruined shoes sat underneath. Her E/C eyes widened upon realizing that these were her clothes from the maze; the boots were unrepairable, but the clothes had been noticeably cleaned. She left them alone for now.

Y/N wandered to the indented section of the wall where the double windows were built in. The panes were fogged around the edges and a chill emanated from the glass. She could see her own ghostly reflection from the other side of the window.

A breath hitched in her throat and Y/N lifted her hands to the small latch that was locked to keep the windows closed. Y/N fumbled with it for a moment before it made a small noise. She pushed the two windows open slowly, a cold breeze washing into the room, sending the small hairs on her body on edge from the icy touch of winter.

Y/N shivered but leaned forward to get a better view. She immediately tilted her head to the sky and a clear, inky night canvas was met with E/C eyes, the stars glittering inside of her own gaze. The smell of pine and fresh snow lingered in the air. It was somewhat foreign to her since her entire time in the maze, she hadn't exactly smelled or seen any true signs of life or nature. Most of it was fake.

Dangerously, but bravely enough, Y/N slid her legs out in front of her so they were out in the open, dangling over the white slush below. She hadn't really realized how high up she was, or if she was up high in the first place. The amazement in her eyes and relief to be somewhat free was a moment of its own.

"Y/N," a knock again, but this time Liu was quicker to open the door, "I didn't know what you-"

He paused, spotting the girl in the middle of the window.

"Oi!" Liu- no, Sully, moved so quickly across the room that Y/N couldn't exactly figure out what was happening before he wrapped his arms around her arms and torso, plucking her up from the windowsill, "we just saved you and you're out trying to end it again?!"

Y/N wriggled one of her arms free from his iron grip, "no-no, you don't understand... I was just admiring the stars."

His grip relaxed immediately, lowering Y/N gently to the ground. She turned to see his green eyes flash from dark to light, then once more again before staying the brighter color.

"Even so...it's dangerous. You just woke up and could catch a cold; you also haven't eaten for two days!" Liu then stiffened, turning around to spot the plate of food he had gathered for her spilled on the floor. A tired and frustrated sigh released from his lips and he hurried over to pick the items up before they stained the floor, "sorry. It's his fault."

Y/N began to laugh lightly at this, but then a sneeze interrupted her fit of laughter. This caught Liu's attention and he paused in what he was doing. The male lifted himself from the floor and then stepped over to Y/N while removing his grey and black scarf. He then carefully wrapped it around the one in front of him, making sure it wasn't too tight nor too loose. He then paused, spotting something that was at the center of Y/N's face. She colored slightly under the direct eye contact and averted her eyes.

His right hand lifted and he placed his thumb softly over something on the bridge of her nose, running it over carefully. Oh! There must've been a scar there from when he had attacked her that one time.

"I...caused that, didn't I?" He seemed so disappointed in himself. His brows furrowed together and the way his thumb grazed over the now healing wound, it was like he couldn't get rid of the guilt that built inside of him. Y/N nodded anyways but lifted her own hand to grasp the one that was caressing the side of her face.

"It's fine though," she smiled, leaning into his touch, "it makes me look...tough!"

She laughed at this, spotting the own crinkle at the edges of Liu's lips.

"It does." He agreed, moving closer and leaning in to place his lips above the middle of her brows. It was gentle, but this action only made the butterflies in Y/N's stomach dance a bit more...then... Her stomach growled, which made Y/N's face redden even more with embarrassment and awkwardness. Y/N groaned as Liu pulled away to laugh, his own laughter genuine and heartfelt.

"We should probably get you something to eat, huh?" He turned on his heel and snatched the plate with the soiled and cold food lying on it. Y/N nodded bashfully, gripping Liu's scarf tighter, and brought it up to her nose. The stars behind her twinkled brightly as more snow began to fall, dotting the sky with even more glitter and winter butterflies.

~

Route completed.

[Up next; Bloody Painter]