IT STARTED WITH A MAZE - Newt x Reader (F)

- MOMENT WORTH WAITING FOR -

The walk back to Gally's hideout had been fast and tight, the kind of silence that stretches between breaths - everyone's mind spinning, what we saw pressing down like a stone in my chest. The weight of the train is still on the forefront of my mind. But I need to get over both in order to have a mature conversation right now.

We're gathered around a battered, circular table, maps and scraps of paper spread out like a battlefield plan.

Jorge and Fry sit close together on one side, their faces set with the grim seriousness of neutral parties. Brenda's perched opposite, arms crossed, sharp eyes flicking between Thomas and Gally like a hawk. Gally stands by the wall, foot tapping impatiently, his presence hard and restless. Thomas paces, hands on his hips, the kind of energy that bristles with frustration. Newt leans against the table beside me, quieter than usual.

I glance at him. He's fiddling with his fingers again, those tremors that I've seen too much in the last day. They're subtle, almost hidden, but unmistakable. His brows are drawn tight, a crease between them that makes his usual calm slip. When I meet his eyes, he forces a small smile, shakes his head like he's telling me not to worry.

"I'm fine," he mouths silently. Its all he's given me lately. Does he not know I can read him like a book? I know something's off. I'll talk to him about it after this.

"There has to be another way," Thomas's voice cracks the tense silence, but there's an edge to it - desperation maybe, or stubborn hope. He's still pacing as if he just moves enough, the answer will reveal itself.

I watch him, feeling the weight in his words. But the truth we all saw lingers heavy in the room. Gally doesn't even look up from the maps. "You saw the building," he says, his voice low but firm. "She's our only way in."

Thomas stops pacing, eyes narrowing. "You really think she's gonna help us?" His question hangs between us, almost like a challenge.

"I don't plan on asking for her permission," Gally shoots back, a sharp edge to his tone that stops the room cold.

I can feel the tight knot in my chest growing. I need to say something, to remind them all what's really at stake. "Guys," I say softly, trying to catch Thomas's eyes. "Or more specifically, Tommy," I choose to say. "Teresa betrayed us. She led Janson and Ava Paige right to us, and she's the reason Minho's in there right now." My voice shakes just a little, trying to keep the hurt and anger beneath the surface. "I don't know why you're still protecting her?"

Thomas's jaw tightens, and even though I'm trying to sound gentle, I see the hurt flicker in his eyes - like I've touched something raw. Before anyone can respond, Brenda cuts in, her tone blunt as ever. "I agree with you, (Y/n). Like, am I missing something here? It's the same girl. Same bitch." She says it without hesitation and I catch Thomas' flinch - he doesn't like that word, or maybe he just doesn't like how true it sounds.

"I like her," Gally chuffs in a whisper.

The room falls silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Thomas stops pacing, eyes fixed on the table, the silence stretching uncomfortably long.

Again, I have to break it. "What's going on?" I ask, my voice softer now, searching - trying to understand the battle raging beneath Thomas' exterior.

"Seriously, Tommy," Newt interjects. "Are you afraid your girlfriend's gonna get hurt?" The question slices through the room like a jagged knife, sharp and sudden. His eyes flick past me, locking onto Thomas with something dangerous simmering beneath the surface. I feel the air shift. The kind of shift that makes your skin crawl and your heart pound faster - not from fear, but from the kind of tension that comes from enemies, not friends. "Hmm?"