To Live [The Maze Runner || Minho]

||5|| Problem Solving

Nick stood a few feet away from you. Uneasiness churned in your stomach, remembering how he had been so against you in the meeting. He wordlessly approached you then held out a bottle to your face, looking away. "Heard you threw up all your breakfast earlier," he only spared you a glance, before averting his eyes elsewhere. You grimaced at his words. It was an unpleasant experience.

Normal people would take the bottle and say 'thank you'. You didn't. He was being... nice? Perhaps it was time to reconsider your judgement about the Gladers. His brows started to furrow, a frown making itself at home on his countenance. Nick's eyes narrowed at you. He sighed and urged the bottle closer to your face. "Here, have some water... Take it." 

Snapping out of it, you took the bottle and mumbled a small 'thank you'. You took a drink and washed the unpleasant taste from your mouth.

Nick scratched the back of his neck. A soft blush was fleeting across his features. It made him look less intimidating than last night. However, he seemed to have an internal turmoil. The silence between the two of you started to feel awkward. After taking a deep breath, he finally ended his silence,"I acted poorly last night. I went out of line... So I'm here to apologize."

Well that's a surprise. Mouth hung agape, you wanted him to repeat what he said. Make sure that you weren't being delirious after the experience in the Bloodhouse. Was it the side effect of throwing up all your food?

"Come on, don't just stare at me like that," a scowl had appeared on his face, but the red tint on his cheeks just made him look (almost) cute. A soft giggle slipped past your lips. His scowl only deepened.

"I'm sorry. It was just unexpected." you smiled. Nick was so against you last night; this development was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. He released a long drawn out sigh, but he seemed to relax. Nick offered you a smile of his own, a carefree one that reached his blue eyes. He moved to lean against the tree you had been leaning on.

"We were just scared." he said truthfully. "Always been... I was also at the Maze yesterday, and to think that monsters had been added to it like a new sort of difficulty..." he trailed off and shook his head. You could tell him that you understood, that it was alright, but if you did, you would just be doing so to be polite. The meaningless comforting words never left your mouth. 

"Plust that, that little message you had..." you perked up upon hearing those words. So Nick knew? It made some sense why he had been like that. Even Minho himself initially had the same accusing tone this blonde boy had last night. "Still, it was wrong to blame you for the new shit that the Creators came up with." Nick added.

"Creators?" you echoed.

"The one who sent us here. That's what we call them. I know, creative right?" he chuckled softly.

"I commend the genius who came up with it," you replied with a hint of playful sarcasm. Another chuckle came out of Nick's lips. The atmosphere had undoubtedly lightened, all tension gone and whatever bad blood sprouting was uprooted. 

"So we're cool?" he asked. The two of you shared a look.

With a smile across your face, you replied, "Yep."

"Good that. Let's go _____. It's not yet time for lunch, but you must be starving."

▝▝▝▝▝▝▝

An hour past noon, you found yourself by that tree again. You tried asking them if you were gonna have to try another job next, but Nick just told you to rest for the day. He just repeated what Winston said, 'Call it a day.'  The blonde had given you a stern look, as if he read your mind that you planned to hang out in the gardens and help a bit. 'But whatever you, don't go into the Maze. You can't be that stupid, but still... just saying.' Nick said before you could disappear from his sight. His tone was dead serious. To forbid everyone from going out into the Maze was understandable and perhaps the most sane to do after finding out the labyrinth that surrounded their little 'home' (it still felt wrong calling the Glade that), had monsters in it.