🌶️*Spicy scene to kick off this chapter*🌶️
Evelyn woke up to the sound of gentle thumping. She smiled. Her head was pressed against Newt's chest and it was his steady heart beat that gently woke her up. She loved the sound of it. It reminded her of how fragile life is and it could easily be taken, but he was here beside her and doing better emotionally and mentally.
She closed her eyes again and ran her fingers over his bare chest and down his side, absentmindedly feeling the muscle he still had from being a Runner. Listening to his steady heart and rhythmic breathing. She took a deep breath burying her face in his chest; he smelt so good. An overwhelming surge of heat, butterflies and tingles exploded in her. She gently pressed her lips to his skin.
She heard a quiet hmm. Slowly doing it again she picked her head up, she met sleepy melted chocolate brown eyes gazing down at her.
"Good morning to you too, Love."
His voice was still slurred and husky from sleep. It made the feeling inside her increase. She hummed softly and kissed kis chest.
"Morning." She murmured.
His eyes cleared quickly from sleep. Instead they filled with interest and desire.
"This is one way to wake up."
He untangled a hand from the blanket and brushed the hair out of her face and then tangled into her hair at the back of her head.
"I'm sorry I woke you, I didn't mean to." She apologized.
"If this is how I get ta wake up, please do so anytime." His voice was still husky, and his eyes sparkled.
"Hmm, like this?" She whispered.
She slowly slid a leg up his, so it was bent and draped over his hips. His hand slid up her leg and came to rest on her bare thigh. She glanced up at him, looking for reassurance. He gave her a small smile. His other hand slid from her hair and down to her other hip. He shifted under her as he pushed her up. So now she was on top of him.
"I don't want to hurt you again." She whispered nervously.
His breathing was coming faster, and she could feel his heart beat picking up. "You won't."
"Are you sure?" She bit her lip nervously, pushing herself up, to sit. His eyes went wide for a second.
"Yes Love." His voice came out slightly strangled for a second. "I'll let you know if you do. Promise." His voice had dropped, and she heard a little bit of a growl and whine.
He was no longer sleepy, but wide awake and alert. His hands slid up and down her bare leg, making her breakout in goosebumps. And her stomach to rollercoaster. Evelyn's hands cautiously slid back up his chest, and she gently pressed her lips to his chest again. Using way more hip than necessary to shift from sitting on his lap to laying on top. Making Newt's eyes shoot open and his breath hitch. His hands gripping her hips tightly he pulled her down into himself and he shifted. Newt growled deep in his chest while Evelyn whimpered.
He slid his hand up and under her shirt running his fingers over her bare skin. Evelyn left a trail of soft kisses up his chest and up his neck. His lips were parted, panting slightly. His breath fanned her hair, making it flutter. Evelyn still was mostly propped up and supported on her knees and elbows, keeping some space between their bodies. But when she kissed a certain spot, he threw his head back with a moan. Grabbing her hips again, and holding them tight, she felt his fingers dig in. She gently sucked on the same spot, making him throw his head back, and pull her hips down while he arched his back into her.
"...Evelyn..."
She felt how alive his body was and she felt her face flood with heat. Her heart was racing and slamming into her ribs. One hand let go of her hip and cradled the back of her head pulling her down, kissing her desperately. His other hand slid to the small of her back. With another growl he pushed her body down into him as he arched his back and hips up. He was definitely very alive. He broke their kiss throwing back his head with a groan.
Her mouth had gone dry and her palms felt sweaty. She pushed on his chest, and sat up, her back stuff.
"Newt..." Her voice was quiet and more of a pleading whimper.
His eyes shot open, through his fog of desire and eagerness he frowned. Concern came through to the surface.
"I don't..I'm not... can we..stop? I'm not..." She stammered, looking away, avoiding his eyes.
Newt let go of her hips and slid her off his lap gently to sit beside him. He sat up, still breathing hard and kind of sweaty, and frowned at her with worry.
"Yeah, Love we can stop. I'm sorry! I didn't mean t'make ya uncomfortable!"
She twisted her fingers together, still tense and avoiding his soft gaze.
"It's just...I'm not...I don't...I don't know."
"Ev, look at me." His voice was still rough, but it was gentle. When she kept her head down he took her chin and turned her head.
"I don't need a reason or explanation. You said stop. End of the buggen' story. Okay, Love?"
She nodded, greatful tears filled her eyes. He frowned, letting go of her chin, he slid a hand into her hair.
"Did I hurt ya?"
She shook her head. "No. I.. just I dunno, now feel bad."
"Why the bloody hell would ya feel bad?"
"'Cause I started it." She said quietly looking back down at her hands in her lap. "I did that to you and then...got ..I dunno scared? Nervous? Uncomfortable? Something..." She paused and took a shuddering breath. "Now I feel guilty."
He smiled gently at her.
"You did nothin' wrong Love. You don't need to explain, and it don't matter if you or I started, if what were doin' makes ya uncomfortable we stop. Thank you for tellin' me."
Every looked back up at him, bitting her bottom lip, her eyes searching his for reasurance. Newt smiled gently at her again.
"You don't gotta do anythin' to make my heart speed up or my breathing to stop. Jus' seeing you, my Angel, makes me alive."
His other hand cupped around her jaw. She placed a hand over his. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Now let's get dressed an' go have some breakfast."
_______________________.
Evelyn was sitting and listening to Nick and another kid named Billy.
"Okay say that again? You want to try going down the box -"
"-hole, yeah. We tried when the box was there. We tried."
Evelyn nodded, remembering they tried that in the beginning. The box didn't move until Nick got out and closed the doors. They had even tried leaving the doors option, but sometime during the night they somehow closed and the box was gone. That's when they knew people were watching, there was a note that said "don't try that again or there will be consequences."
"So later today, we want to see, now that the box is gone, see if we can go down, see where it goes!"
"Well that's an interesting idea, for sure." Evelyn thought out loud.
"It's a new idea!" Nick said brightly. with a huge grin.
"Who's going down?" She asked.
"Me." Billy said thumping his chest.
"I tried to talk him out of it." Nick sighed, "I'm the shucken leader, I should be doing it."
"You're the shucken leader, you gotta let me do it." Billy countered.
Nick looked unconvinced, taking his glasses off and laying them on the table he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and then sighed in defeat.
"Have you talked to Steve about this? He's okay with you doing this?" Evelyn asked Billy.
Billy nodded, "If its a step closer to getting out of this hell hole then ya. And it'll be fine Eve, relax."
She nodded, but remained quiet. Her stomach felt sick all of a sudden. She pushed her plate away.
"You okay, Love?" Newt asked leaning over, concern written on his face.
She forced a smile, and nodded sharply. She watched the boys around her. She really wanted to get out of here, away from the stone wall confines, as much as she loved her little MedHut and garden, she wanted to go home...find out if she had a family somewhere, find Newt's family...maybe start their own lives. She would miss the comradery and the family they formed, but she wouldn't miss the gruesome deaths, the screeching of monsters in the maze, people behind cameras watching them. Fingers were snapped in front of her face. She blinked and looked round, Newt was looking at her in amusement.
"What cha day dreaming about?"
"About Lover Boy, did ya get some this morning, Pixy?"
Minho smirked as he dropped down on the bench opposite them, digging right into his food. Evelyn pursed her lips and ground her teeth and got up with her face burning.
"Grow up Minho." She snapped and walked away.
"Enough Minho." Newt warned.
"What? I can't tease my best friends?"
"Not about that buggen' stuff. It's really botherin' her. No one bugs the other guys in a relationships, she's not likin' the bloody attention as the only girl. Just slim it around her."
"Oh? Only around her? Will you tell me details?" He smirked and raised his eyebrows
"No."
"Aww come on Lover Boy! You're the lucky shank with the only girl! Most of us are quite jealous." He whined.
"Not my bloody problem." He said sharply, folding his arms.
Minho deflated.
"She was really upset yesterday. And you claim your her best friend? Respect her feelings man," He looked at the rest of the table, his eyes narrowed, looking at all the guys there. "All you Shanks could slim it. Stop with the dirty jokes."
"I didn't know it bothered her that much." Nick frowned.
Newt just nodded.
"No one will say anything anymore." Sonny growled.
Newt nodded, and glared at Minho.
He sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes and threw his hands into the air. "Fine! Sheesh! You guys are sensitive."
"If you were the onl' girl in a stone prison surrounded by shanks constantly makin' sexual jokes about ya, you'd have a bloody breakin' point. Also, I shouldn' have ta explain this to you! She asked ya to slim it..so slim it."
The guys at the table all looked down sheepishly and mumbled sorrys.
"It ain't me you gotta buggen' apologize to." He scolded them, they all sat, looking at Newt.
"Go ya bloody shanks! She's in the MedHut. March your shanky arses over there and say a buggen' sorry!" His voice rose in volume, he glared at them all sternly. They all got up, heads down and shoulders slumped and they walked across the glade.
Newt stood at the door, leaning on the wall, arms folded, eyes narrowed and watched as the guys all apologized to Evelyn and then walked out the door to their designated jobs.
"We have some things to get ready, so after lunch we'll try the hole!" Nick said before he left the MedHut. Evelyn nodded, and he closed the door with a nod at Newt, who nodded back.
Evelyn turned to Newt with an eyebrow raised.
"What was that all about?" She was trying very hard not to smile, she was biting her lip, but the corner of her mouth was curving up. Newt still had his arms folded and a scowl on his face.
"I told 'em off."
"You sure did." She said, still trying to keep a straight face.
"You said ya didn't appreciated those comments, and Minho didn't listen, and definitely crossed a line this mornin' even I was uncomfortable."
Evelyn stepped even closer, her hands sliding around his sides and to his back. He uncrossed his arms and wrapped his arms around her. She finally allowed the smile to break free.
"Thank you Mama Newt."
"The bloody shuck?" He asked, frowning at her.
She giggled, biting her lip again.
"You come marching in, holding the door, and a long line of boys come filing in saying mumbled sorrys, they were definitely in trouble. Looked like mom scolded her kids and wouldn't allow them to leave unless they said a sorry."
He exhaled heavily and rolled his eyes. She chuckled and went up onto her tippy toes, she kissed his cheek.
"Thank you." She whispered, "I really appreciate what you did for me Newt. You make me feel respected and cared for. Thank you."
"It's my bloody job to keep my girl safe." He murmured into her neck and he hugged her tight, lifting her toes off the ground.
The morning was quiet. She felt tense and unsettled. There was a thick tension in the Glad as well. Gally, Nick and Billy were making rope from the long vines t hat grew on the wall.
"Do you think it will work?" She asked Newt quietly as they headed over.
She had stuffed her brown leather bag with different emergency supplies. She had no idea what to expect, so just made an emergency kit. Newt was quiet all morning too, quietly working, but Evelyn knew he was too busy thinking; his pencil wasn't moving. Now his eyes looked troubled.
"I dunno, Love." He said quietly.
"Something...I don't know how to explain it, something isn't sitting right with me."
He just hummed.
They joined the group that had gathered around the Box hole. Jeff slid up to them, and together they pushed to the front. Nick and Billy had pulled the big metal doors open. It was pitch black, there was no metal cage box, just a deep black bottomless hole. Alby came over carrying a few big pieces of scrap wood. Him and Sonny dropped a piece down. Everyone leaned forwards to watch. They didn't hear anything. Alby looked up.
"Try again." Nick instructed.
Alby shrugged and dropped another piece down. They waited, everyone was holding their breath. Again they heard nothing, like it just disappeared.
"It's like the shucken bloody cliff!" Newt muttered.
"The what?" Alby asked, looking up.
"The Cliff. In the Maze. There's a weird section in the buggen' wall, just vanishes. And when ya stand and at the edge, the word just ends. We've tried chucken' things off and it just...disappears, like this buggen' hole." Newt explained.
"Interesting." Nick muttered, still staring down into the darkness.
Evelyn shivered. She reached over, and slid her hand into Newt's. His were just as clammy as hers. He held her hand tight. She felt really nauseous now, the ground felt like it was moving.
"Grab the light!" Billy yelled, he was on his hands and knees staring down the hole like it held all the answers.
Some passed a flaming torch up. Nick took the touch and looked at them all, a grin on his face. He dropped it into the whole, and watched as the flame fell. And kept falling, it got smaller and smaller, eventually it was swallowed up by the darkness.
"Well enough wasting things. I'm ready to go!" Bill said standing up, dusting his hands off.
"I don't think you should do this Billy." Steve pleaded.
"I'm going down! If I can help find a way home I'm gonna do it!"
"But...what if it's dangerous?"
"It's a lack hole, what's dangerous about it? The box comes up every two weeks."
"It'll be fine Steve." Nick said clapping the boy on the shoulder.
His lip quivered, and he watched Billy with big fearful eyes.
"Come here Steve." Evelyn called and held her arm open.
He came over and she placed an arm over him, he felt so small and fragile right now. She pulled him tighter to her side. She could feel his anxiety and fear, it matched her own trepidation.
Gally helped tie the vine around his chest, making sure it was tight. Alby, Nick and Sonny took hold of the vine. Billy sat at the edge, his feet danged over the edge.
"Last chance Man, I'll do it." Nick called.
"And give up the glory of finding a way outta this shucken hell hole? Nah!" Billy ginned back.
He twisted around and winked at Steve.
"Love ya! Here goes nothing."
He flipped onto his stomach and slid down, so he was holding on with his arms, and then lowered to his hands. He was now dangling at the edge.
"Hope your knots hold Gally!" Billy called with a chuckle.
Gally groaned and rolled his eyes.
"I need more rope, Imma let go!" His fingers let go.
They heard him grunt as the vine pulled tight n his chest.
"MORE!" he called.
The guys slowly let more vine down, slowly lowering him.
5 feet.
10 feet.
"Anything?" Nick called.
"No! It's really black, hard to see anything!" He called back, there was a slight pause and then he called back with some excitement. "Wait! I can hear something-"
Everyone up above was silent. Newt was squeezing her hand. She was holding her breath. Steve had sunk to his knees, chewing his thumb nail to nothing.
"-what the.. shuck is that?" Billy sounded panicked.
"Pull me up! NOW!"
There was a wild terrified scream.
"PULL HIM UP!" Nick screamed.
There was a shink noise and the screaming was cut off.
The guys pulled on the vine, as fast as they could. Evelyn dropped Newts hand and threw herself down onto the grass ready to help as they brough him up. They pulled him up, and onto the grass.
But only half of him.