~-T-~
"Stop sulking and hurry up," you snap.
You're walking through one of the areas in the Scorch populated by Cranks. The sight of them was eerie, to say the least. Some of them peer out, frightened by the sight of you. Others leer at you. And you're stuck with Newt.
It was Jorge's suggestion originally – that you should all split up to find Thomas and Brenda, who'd gone missing when the building had collapsed while you were eating. Jorge had told you he would be fine with Brenda. It was then that Minho, 'The Leader' as WICKED had dubbed him had decided it was his duty to divide you into groups – and then put you and Newt together.
You'd purposefully avoided Newt after your escape from the Maze. You knew it would be a difficult time, and you didn't want to add petty fights to the mix.
Newt and you had never gotten along well, mostly because he always acted like a slinthead to you. Everybody always insisted that Newt was perfectly friendly. And even though he was the prize dickhead, you couldn't help yourself from liking him a little too much.
And you'd made the mistake of telling 'Minho the Match-maker'.
You did your best not to complain about your partner (which was actually pretty easy, seeing as you couldn't shake your stupid feelings for him), but Newt didn't hold back.
"Yeah, well, I'm stuck with you, aren't I," he scowls.
"Boo-hoo. You can cry about it later. But right now it's important that we find Thomas,"
"Why are you so intent on finding Thomas? Are you in love with him or something?"
"Really? That's the first conclusion you jump to? Well, no, actually – I don't like him like that. But I'd rather find him sooner than later, and it's already been a day,"
"You two pretty things need to stop yelling at each other,"
The two of you stop your bickering and look in the direction of the new voice. It's an old woman, who looks slightly wild in her eyes.
"You got yourself a handsome man, girlie," she says, reaching her hand out.
"Don't you touch her!" Newt swats her hand away and steps in front of you.
You're disgusted at the fact that you feel a sense of happiness over Newt's protection, despite the serious situation you're in.
"Definitely a keeper," the woman smiles, looking slightly demented.
"Come on, Newt," you say, still eyeing the woman as you pull him away.
"Leave us alone!" Newt yells back at the woman.
"Leave it, Newt. She's clearly insane,"
"Whatever," he scowls, and it's like nothing happened at all.
You walk around some more, trying to figure out where Thomas could possibly be.
"Newt, wait!" you say.
"What is it?" he says, sounding annoyed. He turned around from walking in front of you.
You point up at a sign on the wall that reads: 'Thomas, you're the real leader.'
"What does it mean?" Newt asks, eyebrows furrowing.
"I don't know," you say, frowning as you reach up to touch it. Before Newt tackles you.
"Down!" he hisses, and pulls you in between the dumpsters with him.
"Great hiding place," you whisper sarcastically.
"Shush," he responds, leaning forwards slightly. You lean forward, curious.
"We've got them...they're just about to wake up. I think there some of those Munies with WICKED," you hear a voice say. Your eyes widen with realisation.
"Take me in," another voice responds. The conversation carries on, now too far for you to hear it. You stand up, to see two people walk into some kind of bar teeming with Crank life.
"Looks like that's where we've got to go," Newt says from beside you.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," you roll your eyes before stepping out from your hiding place.
The two of you walk briskly to the door, but of course you're stopped before you can pass.
"Hang on there," a man at the door leers.
You look at Newt. He looks annoyed.
"Look, we just want to join the party," you say, faking a casual drawl.
"Never seen you around here before," he says, eyeing you suspiciously.
"So what?" you snap. The man simply holds out a flask in response.
"What's this?" Newt asks, looking faintly uncomfortable.
"Condition of entry," the man smiles falsely. He thinks you won't take it.
You snatch it up quickly and uncork it. You are clever, though, and you know it. You bring the flask up to your lips, and swing your head back, but you don't let your lips part. You keep up the act, wiping your mouth afterwards. The man looks satisfied, as you smile inwardly knowing you'd deceived him.
"Your turn," the man says, shoving the flask at Newt.
You'd forgotten about Newt. You look at him, eyes wide, wishing you had the same capacity as Teresa and Thomas and you could telepathically tell him not to drink it. But you can't – and you see him swallow the drink.
"In you go," the man says, stepping aside. You send him a withering look.
"Okay, look around for either Thomas or Brenda. Meet back here after," you tell Newt, he nods.
It's uncomfortable – navigating through the writhing and sweaty bodies. There's no sign of Thomas or Brenda.
"Hey there, lovely," a younger man leans in front of you.
"I have to find Thomas," you say, not thinking. When you register your response you realise you sound just like a Crank. You keep up the act, grabbing the man's arm.
"I have to find Thomas," you say again, eyes wide.
"I ain't Thomas, lady," he responds, before moving away.
You grin at your success. You figure you should now try to find Newt, seeing as you weren't having much luck on the Thomas-and-Brenda front.
You spot him quickly, staring at the ceiling like it's the most interesting thing in the world.
"Newt!" you say, tugging on his arm.
"Y/N," he slurs, pulling you into a hug before you can do anything about it. You push back from him.
"Did you find Thomas?" you ask urgently.
"Why do you want to find Thomas so bad, love?" Newt asks, though his words are slow. "Why don't we dance?"
"Newt, we don't have time,"
"Just dance with me," he seems to beg.
"Fine, we'll dance," you say, and you let him put his arms around you. You sway to the music.
"You know you're pretty Y/N," Newt says in a childish manner.
"Ha ha. Funny," you say sarcastically.
"No, you are," Newt says, in an over-exaggerated angry manner. "I just act like a dick because I don't know how to hide the fact that I love you,"
"Newt, I think that drink is getting to your head,"
"Of course it is," Newt says in response, eyebrows furrowing. He brings his hands up to your face and begins to lean in.
"Newt, we don't have time for this," you say, pushing away. A part of you regrets it, but another part still wonders if Newt doesn't really mean it.
"There's never time for it!" he snaps. And then, his eyes close and he falls forward onto you.