In The Maze ➸Newt x Reader

1

I heard some low grunts as he started climbing up the tree, and eventually, the blond-headed scrawny boy was eye level with me.

"Who are you?" I asked, glaring as I clung to one of the branches, leaning up against the trunk. He seemed nice enough, but I maintained a cold demeanor, I didn't want my fear to show as it did minutes ago. 

He smiled gently as if understanding my emotions, "My name is Newt. Do you know yours?" 

I thought for a moment. Do I?  What is my name? 

"It's alright if you don't remember, it'll come back to you soon." He said reassuringly.

The wheels within my mind churned as I thought hard about such a simple thing. I squeezed my eyes shut in concentration.

Then something clicked.

"It's Y/N," I said looking at him, studying his features. His face was smaller and youthful. He didn't appear to be very old. 

"Nice to meet you Y/N. That is a beautiful name." Newt said kindly, slightly awkwardly. "I'm surprised you remember your name."

"Thanks... I guess." I then stared at my shoes, not really knowing how to respond to such a strange half-complement.

"You're pretty fast, huh? You could be a runner." He laughed, mostly to himself as he glanced at the crowd below. 

I just looked at him blankly, not having a clue about what being a runner meant. Other than literally being a runner. "What is this place? What the hell is a runner?"

"This is the glade," Newt said, "Everyone you see here was brought up by the box. That's what you came in." He said slowly, his eyes shifting along my face to see if I understood. I nodded.

He continued, "Usually, a greenie comes up every month, but you've arrived a couple of days after our other new green bean..."

I looked at the field that lay past the forest, barely able to see it through the thick leaves of the forest.

"...and a runner is well...well you'll figure that out soon enough."

I hung my head in disbelief, this must be some kind of weird fever dream. 

"Also,  sorry about everyone crowding you. It's just uh, no one has ever seen a real....girl before? Or well, no one can remember the last time they saw a girl." Newt said, picking at the bark on the branch he was latched on to, attempting to look preoccupied. 

"Really?" I said, sounding surprised. How come I was the only girl then? I swear to god if its because I'm supposed to repopulate this weird cult colony of men I-

"Come with me." He nodded his head in the direction back to the field, breathing me from my thoughts. "I'll give you a tour- just please don't hurt the guys. They are really nice, I promise." He chuckled slightly.

"Alright," I said cautiously as I followed Newt down the tree. The boy immediately began to surround us, curious about the conversation that took place above. Newt held out his arm protectively, thinking to himself for a moment before nodding for me to take his hand. I latched on hesitantly and skittishly, but at this point, I'd rather not be swarmed by a mass of teenage boys. Newt pulled me along with him as he slowly parted the crowd. I felt my grasp of his hand get sweaty as my anxiety began to eat me from the inside. 

Have these guys ever heard of personal space?

"Guys, guys stop. She's freaking out- just introduce yourselves quickly. I'm going to give her the tour right away." Newt waved his arm outwards to prevent anyone from getting closer to me than they needed to, which I deeply appreciated. "I'm sure she doesn't like being swarmed by your overwhelming testosterone."