Thomas Imagines (The Maze Runner)

The Secret

You are young and reckless, doing your best to get into trouble despite the fact that you know the consequences like the back of your hand. Although what Alby doesn't know won't kill him, it may stress him out for days to come.

Then again, you're not really thinking about Alby at all right now. You're thinking about a completely different boy, the one who is hurrying with you towards the Deadheads before anyone sees the two of you together and decides to connect the dots.

Thomas glances back at you, unable to hide a grin despite the inherent gravity of the situation. "Hurry up, you shank, we're going to be seen."

You stick out your tongue at him. "We are not going to be seen, everyone's busy. And by the way, Minho's right. You sound like an idiot when you use our slang."

Thomas' jaw drops in mock outrage, and seconds later he's pulling you behind a tree so he can kiss you so hard you feel like the ground is falling away beneath your feet. To say that you're seeing sparks is an understatement; there are fireworks, galaxies, supernovas going off before your eyes.

When you manage to get yourself together long enough to do something other than smile deliriously at him, you realize that Thomas looks altogether too proud of himself.

"I sound like an idiot, huh? Do I kiss like one too?" He asks.

You roll your eyes, although a persistent flush refuses to leave your cheeks. "Maybe. You should kiss me again so I can make sure."

Thomas grins and indulges you, but steps away soon enough. You're still barely in the outskirts of the scraggly trees marking the Deadheads, and any self-respecting Glader trying to waste a morning's work could glance up from their respective crafts and see the two of you together.

That's why you and Thomas must press further into the woods, until the green shades create a suitable haze so as to block you from view. Only then, once the myriad of branches and stems have agreed to weave themselves together as a protective screen, can you reach for him again. This time, you won't have to worry about a thing.

Thomas smiles against your lips. "I missed you, you know."

You laugh. "I saw you at breakfast this morning. Also at dinner last night, and before going to bed, and-"

Thomas cuts you off, giving you a look that makes you giggle. "Yeah, I know, but that was different. Everyone was watching, and I couldn't do the stuff I wanted to, like hold your hand-"

He breaks off to weave his fingers between yours and hold up the interlocked hands to prove his point.

"Or do anything that isn't acceptable for two people who just happen to be friends."

You consider the intertwined hands before you, the way your fingers fit together as if they were always meant to be there, never separated but holding firm. You would love to have many more times to witness this sight, when you're not trying to hide out in the Deadheads and pretend that there's a future for this relationship that doesn't one day involve the two of you getting caught by the other Gladers.

You knew the truth as well as Thomas does, which is that neither of you can hide this for long. Your friends are good at figuring things out, and two people only vanish together for a couple of key reasons.

Thomas sighs, as if he's thinking along the same lines as you. "Why are we here, again? What's so wrong with letting people know? I mean, at worst Alby yells at us and Gally throws another fit. Our friends won't be mad, I know that."

You slump forward against his chest. In truth, you've been wondering the same thing a few times before.

"It's against the rules, Thomas. I know you're still thinking the way we all thought at first, which is that if our friends made the rules it won't be as bad if we break them, but it will. Without the rules, we're nothing. Punishments are always harsh."