Maze Runner: The Subject Experiment

34 ❀ Braid

Sky sighed in frustration as she worked next to Newt planting vegetables. Her hair was being especially annoying today. The wind kept blowing it in her face as she was trying to plant potatoes. She couldn't see in front of her and she hated when hairs flew into her mouth.

"Ew gross," she muttered, grabbing the stray hairs and trying to remove hair from her tongue discreetly so as not to attract any of the boys' attention. 

She decided to try tying it in a pony tail with a bobble she had made from rope and elastic but she was failing miserably. With loud irritated huffing she continued to pull the bobble out to redo her attempts - each time had the same result, a messy excuse of a pony tail with loose bits falling out.

Newt noticed Sky's temper rising with her aggressive fidgeting. He watched her for a while with curiosity.

"Need help?" asked Newt with genuine concern.

Sky doubted that he'd be of any use, but seeing as she was utterly hopeless at tying her hair back, she agreed to let him have a go.

"You can try," she said, handing him the bobble.

Newt took the bobble and gathered her mousey hair in his hands, combing through the knots with his fingers.

"Ow!" Sky cried out when Newt accidently tugged a little too hard at a tat.

"Watch it, eejit!" she yelped.

"Sorry!" said Newt, sincerely upset he had hurt her. "How long has it been since you brushed your hair?" he asked, attempting to banish the matted tats.

"Well, seeing as the box never came up with a brush, I've been doing it with my hands - which is useless to say the least," complained Sky.

Newt laughed, she always had a smart answer.

Newt admired her locks as he ran his fingers through. Her hair was the colour of the dark earth that he worked with. As he handled it, he noticed that when the sunlight hit the strands of hair, fiery streaks of gold flickered back at him. 

Newt kept running his hands through the waterfall of very dark blonde hair. Despite the tangles, after a few run throughs he could feel how soft and silky her hair was. He felt a strange desire to play with it instead of immediately tying it up. It felt nice in his hands and he felt close to Sky. She never let anyone touch her hair - this was a privilege.

Sky held her breath. It was soothing, calming to say the least, but for some reason his touch made her nervous.

Finally, Newt gently pulled her hair together to tie it up. 

Then, without thinking, he brought it to the side and began to separate the hair and twist the sections together until they formed a long braid on the right side of Sky's head.

Needless to say, Sky was incredibly shocked at his plaiting abilities.

Newt studied her reaction, hoping she liked the style even though it wasn't the pony tail she was trying to accomplish.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she asked in amazement.

Newt blushed.

"I don't know...I just knew...I mean it came to me, it just felt right." 

Newt mentally facepalmed. 

What the shuck was that you bloody idiot?

Why can't you explain things to her without sounding so bloody weird?!

Sky pondered for a minute.

"Hm, must be a muscle memory thing," she remarked.

"What?"