𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 - TMR, Gally

032 - Stars

My next days in the Glade went surprisingly well. I fell harder for Gally every day, made sure Chuck had a nice time, and hung out with other friends. The Builders seemed to give up on annoying me, which I was happy about.

And now I was lying on my back, in the grass, with Gally next to me. Stars were above us, dozens of them. It was so relaxing to just lay there, our hands connected, and to talk.

"What would you do after we escaped this place?" I wondered. Immediately, his grip around my hand tightened and I felt him tense up.

Whenever I talked about the world outside the maze, he acted like that. I was suspecting he got very attached to the Glade and didn't want to let go for the only home he could remember having. And one of my main suspects was that he was afraid of the maze. Petrified. He never dared to talk about the time he got stung, either.

"I don't know." The change of tone in his voice broke my heart. He sounded so unsure and shaky. But yet he still tried to hide it and act tough.

I took a breath and asked a few questions, hoping to help him get comfortable with it a bit. After all, I would do a lot to be able to escape. But not without Gally. "Would you buy a house?"

"I don't have money."

"Then you make it." I shrugged. "Or would you buy a tent and live in the woods?"

"I'll stick with the house." He said blankly.

That was progress. He seemed less tense already. "Would you stay with me?"

"Is that even a question? Obviously." A squeeze in my hands.

I laughed. "So you would stay in a house, together with me? Any pets?"

"Newt can come and visit. We'll give him a lizard cage."

I muted a giggle with my hand. "That's... possible. Perhaps we could get a dog."

"Cat."

"Dog."

"Cats are better."

"Dogs are more fun."

"Cats are calmer."

"Okay. A cat and a dog." I decided. "Any kids?"

I did not mean to ask that. I just flopped out of my mouth. Crap.

"Maybe." He replied. "But I'll wait a few years before thinking about that in a serious way. You?"

It relieved me he answered so casual.
"Hm. I don't know." I bit my lip. "We'll see. What kind of house would you get?"

"I really don't care. As long as you're in it and happy, then it's perfect." He muttered, scratching his forehead.

I nodded. Both of us were silent for a little while, our breaths the only hearable thing. I thought about what would be outside the maze. If the world was stable or not. If there were humans or not. If I would be able to live together with Gally. But we would, no matter what.

So badly I wanted to leave the place. Leave te Builders behind. My wish to run in the maze was still there, deep down. It was an aching pit in my stomach, constantly telling me to not give up and just run. Run out of the place. Make sure Chuck had a nice home and found his parents. That Newt would get everything he deserved and find a partner. That Ben would get a farm with millions of chickens.

"I really want to get out of here, Gally." I whispered, swallowing and blinking away pain.

"You can't."
He didn't make eye contact. He didn't blink. He just stared at the sky, emotionless.