MAZE RUNNER Imagines

Keepsake: Newt

"I can't sleep in the dark," I said and frowned. I didn't know how I knew that. "Only other thing I remember," I added. It was like something was feeding off the fears and only these were kept in our brains. 

Newt got up, bringing the candle over and lit it. He placed it next to my bed, "sometimes the darkness is too much for people," he said and he said it like he had encountered his own darkness. "We all need a little light," he said again, placing his hand on mine before withdrawing back to his bed. 

"Where's Thomas?" Newt asked Gus thought he was trying to distract Aris from the topic. Gus looked around, however, and realised Thomas and Minho had gone. "I'm sure they'll be back," Newt said to Gus. The other Gladers were preoccupied with strange objects. The objects were fairly normal to anyone from outside W.C.K.D but to the people locked up for so long... they were alien.  

Gus fiddled in pockets of jackets until he pulled out a necklace. It was a simple one yet he knew it was well made. It was apparent that it had been lying here longer than he had been alive. He rubbed the chain a little, removing some of the dirt from it. Gus looked across the room to Newt, who was standing sniffing a long burnt-out candle. Gus smiled, "what does that smell off?" he asked once he had crossed the room. 

"Death," Newt replied, scrunching up his nose in disappointment. 

"I have something for you, a keepsake," Gus said after a laugh and handed over the necklace. "Just in case," Gus said though he wasn't sure why. Newt didn't question it as screams echoed through the building. Newt placed it over his head quickly so he wouldn't lose it and turned to see what was happening. 

Thomas was running towards them, arms waving frantically, "run!" he screamed at them. Gus grabbed Newt's hand and didn't wait for the other Gladers to move. He dragged Newt through the sand and further into the building, cutting corners and changing directions. When they glanced behind, Thomas and the others were following and Gus and Newt felt better they weren't alone. But, they still didn't know what they were running from. 

It was when Newt tripped up the escalators that Gus saw what they were running from; humans, though they were far from humane. Gus stumbled to pick Newt up, pushing him away from the monsters chasing them and tripped himself. One of them grabbed his leg, almost cutting through his trousers, Gus kicked frantically as Thomas and Teresa fought the others off. Gus managed to kick the thing in the face, knocking its balance off for a moment, he wiggled free and sprinted, ignoring the shooting pains travelling from his shin. 

Finally, they were out. Gus stumbled to the sand as his legs gave way. Newt dropped to his side, catching him before his head could fall onto the rock. "Get me some shade and water," Newt instructed. Aris and Teresa were first to react to Newt's instructions and Newt couldn't blame the others for not registering. They had just ran for there lives. 

It wasn't until nightfall before Gus woke. He was groggy and seemed to forget momentarily he was no longer in the Glade. He coughed as he attempted to sit up. "Easy," Newt said, stroking his hair. Frypan jumped from Gus's side as he coughed up an unnatural looking substance. 

"Ah man," Frypan looked longingly at his blanket that was now covered in dark goo like sick. 

"Sorry, Fry," Gus mumbled before dropping back down. Newt continued to stroke his hair, lifting Gus's head onto his lap as the Glader's got comfortable for the night. 

"Leave that," Newt said to Frypan as he went to turn out the light, "never know," he added as Frypan frowned. 

Newt didn't sleep, unlike the others. When he closed his eyes he could see the monsters and if he fell asleep he knew he would see Gus like that. It terrified him, he couldn't lose Gus. Not now, not ever. He fiddled with the chain around his neck, it seemed to be a perfect fit. Newt allowed himself to daydream as the light snores from the Gladers filled the air. 

He dreamed about getting a house with Gus; having some kind of normal life. Just like the one they had thought of in the Glade. It would be somewhere quiet, away from trouble, away from cities. They would grow and sell their own fruit and vegetables, after all, they knew how to grow them to perfection by now. They'd get animals too; pigs, goats, maybe even some sheep. Definitely dogs, they had already agreed on three at least. 

Newt had dropped to sleep eventually and dreamed about the house they would live in. But, he was soon woken by the Gladers packing up and muttering to themselves. Both he and Gus knew that the Gladers knew about their feelings for each other but they had never spoken about it. There was no need too. 

"Can you walk?" Thomas asked Gus as he sat up and took a sip of water. This time it stayed down, so he took another one. 

"I can try," he said and Thomas, Frypan and Newt helped him to his feet. Frypan opted to hold his backpack while Newt and Thomas supported him. And so, they headed for the mountains again but Gus continued to get worse and soon he was being dragged on a makeshift sledge. 

"His legs too swollen," Winston said.

"Not to mention that sick is not normal," Minho added. Thomas shook his head to them, silently asking them not to say anything else after seeing Newt's face. But they didn't listen and eventually, Newt dropped behind the group. He looked awful, nearly as bad as Gus. It was clear Newt hadn't been sleeping and his worrying was taking control. It had been three days and there were no signs of improvement. "Let's stop here," Minho said pointing to some shelter, "put Gus under there, we need to take a look at the leg." 

They rolled his trouser leg up gently so they wouldn't disturb him too much. Gus appeared to be asleep, but in truth, he was resting his eyes. He couldn't sleep, all he saw when he tried to sleep was the monsters. Gus twitched as he felt one of the boys move his leg slightly. "Doesn't look too bad, it's not broken..." Minho trailed off. 

"Newt," Gus mumbled, Newt brushed his hair out of Gus' face and took his hand, telling him he was right there. "What if its the flare?" he whispered to him. 

"It's- It can't be," Newt said immediately. "There's no way for you to have got it," he shook his head and his mind raced as he tried to find the words, "it's just bloody not alright, Gus. You'll be fine, I'll make sure of it." Newt planted a light kiss on Gus' head to show that his anger wasn't at him but at the world and what they had been subject to. "Hey, remember the house we said we would get?" Newt asked, squeezing Gus' hand. 

"The farm? With all the animals and vegetables?" Gus' eyes lit up a little and he shifted to sit up. He wanted to see Newt's face, he felt like he hadn't seen it in so long. Gus released his hand from Newt's in order to brush the backs of his fingers across his cheek. 

"That's the one," Newt said smiling, "I had a dream about that the other night... everything was going wrong, all the things we were growing were either too small or far too big," Newt laughed. 

Gus managed a chesty laugh followed by a coughing fit, "like James and the giant peach," he laughed again, clearing his throat to stop another coughing fit. 

As the Gladers rested, Newt and Gus talked planning more of their life on their little farm. "We'll get that farm," Newt said, suddenly serious. He wanted to kiss him so much but knew Gus would push him away in fear of giving him whatever it was he had. 

The next day, however, Gus was back on his feet. He was still coughing and occasionally throwing up, what Frypan called, the gunk but he was moving and this meant they were getting to the mountains quicker. "I'm happy your feeling better," Newt said as they dropped back from the group so they could talk. Newt was fiddling with the chain around his neck. 

"Me too," Gus said, taking hold of his hand, "you're wearing it," he beamed, nodding to the necklace. 

"It's my keepsake," Newt said, planting a little kiss on Gus' lips. He pulled away and stopped walking, "I thought I was going to lose you..."

Gus caressed Newt's cheek, "never, you can't get rid of me that easy." Gus cupped Newt's face and pulled him in for a longer kiss. 

requested by @scoobydoobeydoo  // hope you liked it! 

i basically wrote this with one eye shut bc I've had something stuck in it all day and ugh it was pure pain :(