Questions // Mazerunner

18-In which we fly with the birds

The kiss was short, but sweet. Maddy pulled away almost immediately, not necessarily from disgust, more from surprise. It wasn't that she didn't like Newt, it was just that she wasn't expecting that.

Maddy didn't like Newt that like, she thought, up until his lips first brushed against hers. It was only then that she realised that maybe she might want something more than friendship. Something like they had before the Glade maybe. But that was before the Glade.

"Sorry Newt," she mumbled, purposely avoiding his eyes, "I like you as friends and maybe as something more... I... I'm sorry. Th- Thank you." And she stood up and began to walk back to the Glade. "Wait, Maddy," he called after her. She spun round, but still looked down, still avoided his gaze. "Come back. Can we talk about it please?"

Maddy walked back towards him slowly, concentrating on the ground and trying not to think about her emotions. It was strange to think she might... love her best friend as more than that. She sat down opposite rather than next to Newt, still staring at the leaves, or the trees, but anywhere other than Newt. He crawled towards her and lifted her chin to make her look at him. She still looked down. "Hey?" Newt dipped his head down and finally caught her gaze.

"Sorry Maddy," now it was Newts turn to look down at the ground ,"It's okay if you don't like me in that way. I shouldn't have done that. It's just that- I sort of..." He hesitated against his better judgement. "I like you as more than friends. More than best friends and I wanted to do that for- God, I don't know how long. I understand that we're just friends. It's fine if you want it to stay like that."

His eyes returned to Maddy's cocked head. He could see her thinking, the cogs turning, processing the words, the kiss. To be honest, Newt still needed time to process the kiss as well, but he would always put Maddy first, regardless of what she said next.

"That's the problem," Maddy sighed. Newt looked at her quizically and furrowed his eyebrows. "That's the problem," she repeated,"I don't know. I maybe like you like that but-" she flopped back into the leaves, "I liked it." Newts eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Wait you liked it?" His voice got higher in surprise, making Maddy giggle. "Yeah... But I don't want a- whatever we would be right now. Not because of you," Newts lips curled into a little smile, "but because of the maze and shuck. I guess I'm just confused."

She stared up at the setting sun through the trees, and again she had to question, real or not real? Newt began to speak again, "So would it be okay, if I just gave you one more little kiss and then we left it as to be continued?" Maddy giggled a little and propped herself back up, only to see that Newt had shuffled over to be right in front of her. "Are you drunk Newt?"

He shook his head adamantly and raised his eyebrows, as if to repeat the question. "So can I kiss you?" He could se that Maddy wasn't sure. "And then we'll leave it as 'to be continued' Promise."

Maddy deepened her breathing, before nodding slowly. As Newt began to close the distance between their lips, she stopped him. "But we have to leave it to be continued till I'm ready." Newt nodded quickly, obviously more nervous than he was for the first kiss.

Again he closed the gap, this time uninterrupted and they both closed their eyes just seconds before their lips collided. The kiss was longer, rougher and yet just as sweet as the first. Maddy could feel Newts hands pulling her closer, trying to deepen the kiss. She let him. Eventually though, she had to pull away for air. "Just friends again is gonna be awkward huh?" Newt laughed. Maddy shook her head and rolled her eyes at him, "To be continued."

Half an hour later they both nestled into their respective hammocks, two metres apart. Maddy still felt a little confused, shocked by the kiss, by Newts feelings for her, but most of all, of hers for him. She felt bad for saying no, but excited for the future, though it might not be for a while yet and she also felt, above all, happier than she had ever felt before. More content. It was strange that just two kisses could make her feel so happy, but it just felt right.

She slept well that night, hardly tossing at all. But she did talk in her sleep. Several times during that night she could be heard, especially by Newt, sighing contentedly and saying "Thank you, Thank you," over and over again. Newt didn't mind that he couldn't sleep. If his best friend was happy, and having a nice dream for the first time since she got here, then he was happy as well.

So the next morning he had bleary eyes from lack of sleep when he awoke to Maddy shaking him. "Newt," his eyelids fluttered, "Oi, Lizard boy," she seemed so overjoyed that Newt sat up immediately. "What?" His voice was deeper and thicker than usual which made her laugh. "Breakfast is served," she proclaimed before thrusting a cupcake into his hands.

Newt stared at it in fear for a few seconds before raising his eyes to meet Maddy's. "Is this tomato again?" Maddy shook her head, "noope."
"You promise?"
"Yup. I made a new batch. Strawberry."

Newt took a tiny crumb off and ate it, then a nibble and finally a mouthful. He smiled with the cupcake in his cheeks, making him look like a hamster. "Strawberry," his eyes crinkled up and he grinned widely. Maddy nodded, "Did you not believe me?" She pretended to act hurt, mimicking a tear rolling down her cheek. "No," Newt laughed as she hit him playfully on the arm. "Come on now. Eat up. Big day today."

A/N Thank you for 20 votes and 575 reads. I didn't expect a single votes or 10 reads so this surreal. Sorry it took so long to update, it's been a busy week. Hope you enjoyed :) Happy Bank Holiday!
-K