The Maze Runner Imagines

Newt [15]

He felt like he needed to be with her. Actually, he felt an obligation to be with her. Not the burdensome kind of responsibility, but he wanted to always be in her sightline. With her, he could escape from his past. Something no medication could offer him. To suppress the revolting memories, he would work day in and out, never taking a break. As long as he ran from his past, it could never hurt him. But, with her, he didn't have to run.

Newt was the first person Y/N ever spoke to when she woke up in the box. Ever since, he'd been glued to her side. At first, she was shy, always hiding behind him when someone new was to be introduced. Newt would never forget the feeling of the girls nose pressing into his back as she tried to hide herself behind him.

But just as he feared, a few weeks after arriving, the girl had begun to break out of her shell. Almost everyone in the Glade was friends with her and she seemed fairly content, despite living in such a hellish place. The girl was always laughing and bickering with the boys, and Newt liked seeing her happy. But, he missed the girl who would bury her face in his back when she was afraid of saying hello to someone. He missed when she would follow him around the Glade because she didn't know where to go—no matter how small the place was.

With her confidence came Newt's jealousy.

It was bonfire night. Every month, around the special occasion, all of the boys would act a little more friendly towards Y/N. Why now they would all try something with her, he had no clue. But it never ceased to make his stomach churn. It was a never ending cycle of one boy trying to impress Y/N, making a fool of himself, and then someone else moving in.

Dinner was the worst, too. Since she'd arrived, Y/N took a liking to sitting alone under one of the trees at the edge of the gardens instead of at the tables. Tonight, it was like everyone was lining up to just get a few words out of her. She was constantly being approached, left, and then approached by someone else. Newt's blood was boiling. Even if he went and sat with her to try and stop the constant attention of the other boys, it wouldn't deter anyone. He was just Newt. He wasn't bold enough to tell the others to back off, and even if he was, all he'd get in return would be pestering.

"Hey Newt." Minho said as he plopped down on the bench beside the blonde.

"Minho." Newt snapped back. He refused to even look at his friend. His head rest on his fist, eyes occasionally drifting up to Y/N, pushing the food around on his plate.

"Well aren't you grouchy." Minho scoffed and began eating his meal. "Wait—" He muttered, noticing where Newt kept glancing. "Are you jealous?"

"Of what?" Newt let out an exasperated sigh and sat up a little.

Minho rolled his eyes. "Y/N."

"No." Newt mumbled.

"You shuckface—" Minho snickered. "You so are."

Newt just grumbled back and cast his eyes out to the girl again who now had Gally at her side. He just couldn't see her with him.

"Look," Minho began, pushing his plate away. "You should just tell her. Tonight's probably a good chance. She always sits with you at the fire."

Newt considered his options. "I can't."

"Your loss, shuckface." Minho shrugged and jumped up from the bench. The runner had been trying ever since Y/N got to the Glade to have Newt confess his feelings. No matter how hard he tried, it just wasn't enough to make Newt spit out the words he needed.

"You're so dead, Gally." The girl snapped and the Gladers around the fighting ring whooped and hollered.

Last month, Y/N had finally decided to give fighting a try. To everyones surprise, she'd gone undefeated purely because of her agility. While the boys would run straight at her, she could jump or dive out of the way, sending them right out of the ring. The only one who seemed to catch onto her method was Gally.

Even Newt stood and watched the fight. Gally had just swiped the girls leg out from under her and was on her in a second. He straddled her as she clambered to get back to her feet, but his weight alone was enough to keep her down.

"Call er' quits shebean!" Gally laughed as he began to stand, but keeping Y/N under control. Quickly, he threw her over his shoulder and stomped to the edge of the ring, tossing her out. Some boys cheered for Gally while the rest booed him.

"RE-DO!" She hollered out, trying to shake the sand out of her hair.

Gally laughed. "I think you need a break from fighting me. Anyone else want to fight our shebean?"

Hands shot up from every direction. Y/N was willing to take on anyone. In that moment, Newt saw his chance. Without even thinking, he raised his hand, stepping forwards.

"Newt...?" Gally sauntered towards the blonde with his arms crossed, all famous eyebrows raised in astonishment. "You sure you can take her on?"

"Of course I can." Newt snarled. When he looked over the builders shoulders, the girl seemed to be trying to warn him against it.

Newt was the only one she didn't want to fight. She didn't want to hurt him. The rest of the boys, she didn't care.

"Newt, maybe don't—" She started, but before she could finish he was already careening towards her. Three or four times she dodged his advances, but he stopped himself before tumbling out of the ring.

"Y/N! QUICK! HELP!" Minho shouted, causing Y/N to shoot her attention towards him, looking for what was wrong. There was nothing.

Newt tackled her from behind, and by the time she rolled over, trying to catch her breath, Newt was on her. When she finally regained her vision, Newt was hovering just above her with a stunned expression. His brown eyes flickered from the bonfire and she blinked a few times, hoping he'd be gone. Everything was silent aside from the crackling which came from the fire just a few metres away.

Newt's heart was racing so fast he felt like it wasn't even beating. He knew this was his only chance but he just couldn't do it. Maybe he could, but it felt so impossible that—

Suddenly his lips were on hers. He didn't even remember doing it, but he did. The glade was instantly full of both cries of excitement and disappointed whimpers of "no fair!"

When he finally sat up and pulled the girl off of the ground, Minho, Alby, and the other keepers were the first to stop by and pat him on the back. He was still so dazed he was hardly able to stand.

"About time." Alby snickered.

"Does uh— this mean I win?" He croaked and Minho doubled over in laughter.

In the very least, Newt knew he'd proven himself. He'd shown everyone how he'd really felt about her. He was mad at himself for not doing it sooner, but now, he didn't care.