artemis, MAZE RUNNER¹

¹ 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆.

"Don't —" was all she could say, eyes telling him, silently, that it was too dangerous. That she understood. — before a pair of arms crushed her from the waist, pulled her indelicately off of him until her feet dragged on the grass.

She tripped over their feet, grunting as she pulled herself free. "What—?" She was about to snap, when she caught Newt's expression. Hesitant, dark eyes hued with worry... and fear. He was afraid of her. And as she looked over his shoulder, she realised they all were.

She was silenced, dropping her gaze to the grass. It was painful, knowing they all saw her as a freak — a threat. Displaced or alien. She swallowed.

"You —," Newt cut himself off, inhaling sharply. There was a pause as he breathed out. She watched his chest heave up and down heavily, out of breath. "You okay?" His voice was gentle. She snapped her eyes up to meet his, and realised that the fear was gone. Replaced by pity. Her stomach twinged. She wasn't sure whether the pity was better or not. There was a pause.

"He was headed for the walls —"

"And thank whatever higher power that you managed to stop him." He cut her off. "Truth is, no one would've let him get far enough anyway. You only spooked the whole lot of us."

She pushed her glare onto the grass. It was hostile enough to set the green alight. She felt sick — sick with herself. For making all these kids even more scared. For being yet another confusion. She swallowed, realised her eyes had warmed with hot tears.

"Hey," she felt his hands on her shoulders. She tilted her gaze back up to his. His eyes were warm again, intense. She found it fascinating. How his eyes changed colour and light in all different situations. "Don't think for one second that we aren't prepared to love you every bit as much as we love each other." He smiled. His hands trailed across from her shoulders, slipping down over her arms so that his fingers tangled lightly with hers. "You're tough as bloody nails," he whispered, "So what if you freak 'em out for a day or two? They'll learn to get used to it." His voice dropped. "They'd better, or they'll be answering to the both of us. And I don't fancy their chances, eh?"

She felt the corners of her mouth lift up. He grinned. "Smile looks good on you," he commented. She laughed shakily.

They were interrupted by a loud shout of protest. She turned her head, words lost as the boy's arms were pinned to his sides. He stumbled forwards, Ed's heavy hands clamped onto his shoulders, Zart and Gally at his elbows. They shoved him forwards, pushed him towards the long low hut that sunk into the ground, bamboo and wood bars shoved hastily into the ground, stuck up like thorns. Emis flinched as Gally heaved him into the Pit; the thud his body made on the hard earth shivered through her.

"What are they —?"

Newt interrupted. "Look," he said, putting a hand onto her shoulder, tilting her gaze to the edge of the Pit.

"He's all yours." She heart Zart call. She saw Alby scale the building, put his hands on top of the roof, and crouch down. His voice was too low to reach her ears, but from the distance she could tell he was speaking with gentility. With peace. He didn't mean any harm.

"That was quite some run, back there." Newt's voice pulled her back to where she was standing. She furrowed her brow, "What?"

"You didn't even look out of breath." He said, voice quiet. There was a pause.

"I guess not." She breathed in, bracing herself for an answer. He didn't say a word, heavy eyes grazing over her, the cogs in his head whirring. He murmured something, then took her hand. She jumped, startled as he pulled her away. She noticed how his hand was rough, calloused. Cuts and bruises peppered his knuckles and his fingertips. Absentmindedly, she tightened her grip slightly. He shivered, pulling her forwards.