Remembrance (Newt X Reader)

Chapter 6~ Thanks For The Lunch

 Thomas.

You knew he'd been the newest Greenie who'd come up in the box-- save for the first, who still wasn't awake, and... well, you.

Now, you saw him sitting outside the kitchen, propped up against a large tree, while Chuck was divvying up sandwiches and apples between the two of them. They were talking and laughing, and you caught sight of Thomas shooting his friend annoyed looks, but they were playful and full of amusement.

Newt talked about him a lot... how he'd disobeyed the Glade's number one rule, and gone out into the Maze at night to save Minho and Alby, ending up fighting off a Griever and living to tell about it. How he'd wanted to become a Runner only a few days after arriving, and eventually got Minho to train him.

Now, more determined than ever, you pushed yourself abruptly to your feet, scaring the crap out of the boy who'd been talking to you. You had been so lost in thought, you'd been completely tuning out what he had been saying, and now, he just stared at you, wide-eyed.

"Hold that thought," you said hurriedly, not waiting for him to answer before you took off down the hill, your eyes trained on the two boys.

They didn't notice you at first, but when Chuck looked up and saw you walking directly towards them, he nudged Thomas with his elbow.

"Thomas?" you asked, stopping right in front of him. Thomas looked up at you, obviously surprised. His friend whispered something in his ear, flashed him a thumbs-up, and scuttled away -- which you were grateful for, more wanting to talk with Thomas alone than anything.

"Y-yeah, that's me. You're (Y/N), right?"

You didn't answer, just walked even closer and slid down the tree next to him so you were sitting flat on the ground, so close your shoulders were brushing. Now you were here, you had no idea where to begin.

"You--"

"Why--"

You both stopped, realizing you'd both spoken at the same time. Thomas cracked a smile "You go first," he said, and you nodded your thanks.

"You've gone... into the Maze, right?"

Any warmth that had sparked behind the boy's eyes immediately died, and he responded with a solemn twitch of his head, like he was trying to nod, but couldn't bring himself to. You took that as an invitation to continue. "You've gone out into it, and spent a night there -- something no one's ever done before."

"I only did what I thought anyone else here would do in that kind of situation," Thomas told you earnestly. You could sense the sincerity in his words.

"But, now you're a Runner, and you're allowed to go in every day?"

"That's right. What are you getting at?" You took a deep breath.

"I need to become a Runner." Thomas started at you incredulously, like you'd just admitted to kissing a Griever, or something.

"You're... not planning to go out into the Maze at night to achieve that... are you?"

"Of course not, shuck-face," you snapped, horrified that he had the impression you might do something like that. "I'm not an idiot. I just need in -- but somehow in a way that won't get me more time in the Slammer. Two times in one month and Alby will throw me in for a year." You were only half joking.

"Why are you asking me?" Thomas didn't at all seem eager to help you. He raised his eyebrows skeptically, then reached up to run a hand through his hair.

"Because I know you're a smart kid, Thomas," you said, flashing him a million dollar smile. "And, because I know all about your little chats with that girl in the coma."