Evelyn waited patiently for Newt to come back from the gathering the next evening. She kept herself busy by sketching a sleeping Hephaestus in her lap.
Newt came limping into Evelyn's room a few minutes later with a huge grin on his face. He sat down in the chair and with a groan lifted his leg and propped it up onto the bed.
"So. I take it the meeting went well?" She raised an eyebrow. Putting her pencil down and closing her notebook, Hephaestus growled at the movement, but continued to sleep.
"Sure did!"
His smile was so big it made Evelyn smile. He pulled his boot off and then undid the splint, flexing and rolling his ankle. He started to explain the meeting while Evelyn slid her hand up his pant leg and massaged the sore calf muscle. He stopped mid sentence and hummed in satisfaction.
"Thanks Love. That feels good."
She smiled and waved him on. He continued to explain the meeting and some of the new ways things will run. Alby was always more structured and strict.
"He talked a lot about buggen' order. Three rules; never go outside the Maze if ya ain't a runner, obviously. Everyone has a bloody job and does their part; ain't got time for freeloaders- haven' really had an issue so far with the shanks. And three...we got trust each other. For the most part I think we do bloody trust each other."
Evelyn nodded along, smiling at him. He had a sparkle in his eye and he was talking with wild hand gestures. He was cute when he was happy and excited.
"...but we've had too many shanks bein' stabbed, no more weapons. Keepers get, and all slicer and cook knives will be locked up at the end of the buggen' day."
"Sounds like it was productive!"
Newt nodded.
"So what's Nick stepping down into?" Evelyn asked.
"We will both just help out where needed. Mostly in the Fields or with Builders."
"That's great Love! I'm proud of you! And I think you'll do an amazing job. The guys really look up to you."
"'Cause I'm bloody taller than 'em?"
"The only reason." She chuckled.
He pulled her leg off the bed, stood up and leaned over, his hands on either side of her hips. She tilted her head up to look at him. He gave her a cheeky smile.
"Even you, Shorty."
She hummed while he kissed her. She placed both hands on his jaw, moving him away just slightly.
"As I told Nicky yesterday...they may all look up to you, you guys maybe the heads and leaders...but I'm the neck that controls where the head goes."
Newt stood up laughing. She watched him in amusement.
"Did you take your meds?"
"Yes mama Noot."
He raised an eyebrow at her, she smiled innocently.
"And you ate?"
She gave him another cheeky smile, "Yes Mama Noot, even shared with Hephy, that's why he's sleeping now, the little piggy."
"And you have your tea?"
"It's steeping. Clint made it right before he left for the Gathering."
"Good. I'll change and we'll have it together."
"Good that!"
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Newt helped her slide back down to lay flat, sometimes sitting for a while made her side ache. After her tea was done, she lay with her head in his lap, and he ran his fingers through her hair. Hephaestus got mad with the moving around and with a little growl in his throat he scurried out the window. Evelyn closed her eyes and listened to him talk about his day, and the rest of the gathering.
"Hey, Love?"
She answered with a sleepy hum.
"You still listening?"
"Mmm hmm." She smiled, her eyes still closed, "Just really comfortable. I feel like purring."
"Oh really?" He chuckled.
She hummed again. He ran his fingers over her scalp. She did make a noise in the back of her throat. Newt chuckled. They lapsed into comfortable silence. Evelyn was greatful Newt was alright with silence. They talked and laughed, but she was also very happy in quiet silence. He picked up a book from the side table. The creators sent a box of old books a while back, and she was positive only a handful of the Gladers actually read any of them.
So while he sipped tea and read, Newt continued to run his fingers through her hair and scratch her scalp.
"Wanna read it out loud?" She asked sleepily.
"Are ya gonna listen?"
"Of course. I like listening to your voice. It's a mix of comfortable soothing and really hot."
"Well then, can't say no ta that!" He chuckled.
His voice was soothing in the quiet. Her sore muscles relaxed, the pain meds and tea helped ease the throbbing sharp pain, and his hand buried in her hair she slowly started to drift off.
"G'night Love."
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It took Evelyn a full two weeks before she was able to move about with ease. She couldn't hold anything heavier than Hephaestus. But she was grateful to get up and have a shower, she then ended up sleeping the morning away because even that outing took all her energy and strength.
The Glade was running smoothly. Nick still struggled with the change, struggled with how he ran the Glade for the last year.
"Look, Nick. You had a year if trial and error. Someone had to be first, and that was you. You were a great Leader! Just because we seem to have a system and routine doesn't mean you were a bad leader! It takes someone to forge the path and get up the routines. Alby already got a fully functioning system. You didn't."
"Seriously Evelyn I would be so lost without you!"
"Everyone would!" Sonny nodded.
They were sitting at the breakfast table, sipping on coffee, mostly everyone was off, doing their jobs, they were enjoying just chatting right now, there were only a few stragglers.
Gally was busy barking orders at the Builders. They were building an open faced building for the guys who slept outside. Frypan was cleaning up breakfast with the help of some slippers. Evelyn spied Newt in the garden.
"Hey! Earth to Ev!"
Someone snapped their fingers in her face.
"You listening?"
Evelyn blinked and then nodded. "Yep, uh huh. Good that." She didn't take her eyes off Newt. He had pulled off his long sleeve shirt, he was helping Zart chip down a tree, they were trying to expand the garden. His muscles flexed and ripped while he swung the ax.
"She's not listening." Sonny pointed out.
"Yep, uh huh. Sounds good " Evelyn nodded, her chin in her hand.
Nick chuckled. "I think she's drooling."
"Possibly." Evelyn nodded again.
The guys chuckled.
"Well I'll leave you to your oogling. See ya guys." Nick got up and walked away.
"I'm happy for you." Sonny said quietly.
She finally ripped her eyes away from Newt and looked over at Sonny. He was watching her, with a small smile.
"You didn't smile as much before. Now you're always smiling."
"Thank you Sonny, and it's you I gotta thank."
He hummed and nodded.
"Will ya get married?"
She thought about it.
"Maybe, if we ever get the shuck outta here."
Sonny hummed again.
"What about you? Ever thought about it?"
He shrugged, "Maybe. Gotta find the right one."
"I don't doubt you will. You're a great guy!"
"Thanx Ev." He finished his coffee and got up, "I gotta get back to work. You done with your mug?"
She nodded and he took both their mugs to the kitchen and she got up slowly, holding her side. She slowly wondered over to where Newt was. Sitting in the sunshine she sat gingerly down and leaned against the tree, her legs straight out in front of her, ankles crossed. A few guys came for band aids and to have cuts cleaned. She had to send a guy to the Med Hut for stitches, but the other stuff she was able to do while sitting.
She always had her bag now. The incident with Nick and Steve made her realize she should always have a bag with her. So she had her brown leather bag full of bandaids, cloth, gauze, medical tape, a syringe of grief serum, some pain meds and a few jars of her hand made pasts and ointments. Anything bigger would have to be sent to the MedHut.
"Hello gorgeous." Newt plunked down beside her with a cup of water, he drank it all, and then flopped back onto his back. He turned his head to look at her, "this is a new dress! Haven't seen this one!"
"The box sent it with supplies, don't know why they keep sending dresses into a place like this, but not complaining right now. The less bending at the waist the better."
"Is that why you've been going barefoot lately too?"
She just hummed.
"Well, it's a pretty colour on ya. Makes your green eyes look even brighter."
"You're sweet." She leaned back into the tree, shamelessly racking her eyes up and down her boyfriends outstretched body, "So is it break or do you need a bandaid too?"
"I might have a booboo ya could kiss better." He flashed her a rougush smirk.
"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, she could feel her face warming up, and it had nothing to do with the sun on her face.
"Yeah. Though ...it might need some aggressive kisses."
"Newt!" She gasped.
"Aww come on Love, whatya say? Keeper of the MedJacks gonna help me feel better?"
"You're ridiculous!" She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were flushed and she couldn't keep a straight face, her lips were curving into a smile. Her stomach was also rolling wildly.
"Nah, just can't keep my buggen' mind off ya." He reached out a hand, still laying down, and placed it on her thigh, just above her knee giving it a playful squeeze.
"Aren't you sweet." She chuckled.
"Is it bloody workin'?" He gave her an innocent look, sliding his hand a little higher, under the hem off her dress.
"Maybe a little." She smiled, but slid her hand under his and intertwined their fingers, holding his hand firmly, so he couldn't slide his hand up higher.
"Hmm good!"
She rolled her eyes again. He propped himself up onto his elbows.
"So what's on the buggen' agenda for you, my love?"
"Oh ya know, be awesome, sit and watch you, maybe heckle you... Hand out some bandaids and continue to be awesome." She batted her eyelashes.
"Same as every day?"
"Shucken rights."
He chuckled. Getting up he kissed her cheek and got back to work. For the rest of the morning she sat and watched Newt. He would galnce over at her and she would bite her lower lip, or look him in the eyes and slowly run her tongue over her bottom lip. She couldn't really move too much without wincing, so it was all she could do to tease him with her looks, and eyelashes and fidgite with her bottom lip. She could see he was starting to get agitated. And she smirked. She liked the wild nervous feeling. Teasing him in public when he couldn't do anything about it.
Evelyn gingerly got to her feet, it would be lunch right away. She saw Newt watching and she but her bottom lip and slowly walked away, making sure her dress swished in time to her hips.
A few minutes later he slid onto the bench beside her, as their table filled with friends. He leaned over and whispered in her ear making a shiver run down her spine.
"Ya know two can play at this game."
He slid his hand onto her thigh, and then slid it to the inside on her leg. She sucked in a breath, and her eyes went wide.
"You okay, Evy?" Nick asked from across the table.
"Yep." She squeaked.
She saw Newt looking pleased with himself. He didn't remove his hand. All lunch he sat right beside her, laughing and talking with the guys. Evelyn was very very aware of his hand placement. When he slowly ran his thumb up and down her leg, her muscles all tensed, and she squeezed her legs together, but that just made it worse, now he could touch both her inner thighs. She stopped and she saw a smirk in his face and he gave her a side eye. She narrowed her eyes at him. He continued to eat, but ever so slightly, he inched a little higher under the hem of her dress.
She turned her whimper into a cough. Newt leaned over and whispered.
"I think I won."
"Days not over." She whispered back.
He made a noise somewhere between a growl and a Humm.
"Challenge accepted, Love."
He was still leaning over so Evelyn whispered in a pouty voice, "It's slightly unfair, though. I can't really bend over, and tease you."
Newt choked on his water, and squeezed her leg. Winston smacked his back a few times. Evelyn smirked. She got up cautiously, holding her side.
"I'll be back." She whisper seductively in his ear, trailing her fingers down the back of his neck while she whispered.
She sauntered off (as best as she could with a broken rib) to the MedHut for her midday dose of meds.
All afternoon they exchanged looks. She couldn't do too much but none the less, she knew she was teasing him. He was getting more agitated. Others just thought he was getting grumpy, Evelyn smirked at him when Zart asked if there was anything he could do. Evelyn raised an eyebrow behind Zart's back, as she walked past. And just to throw more gas onto the flame, she ran her fingers over her collarbone and heart. Newt's eyes were dark as he watched he go by. She winked and continued into the MedHut.
She was absolutely winning at this game.
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**Sweet... to kinda cringe 🫣**