All of the Gladers, including Aris, bunker down for the night, a small fire in the middle of the circle the created.
Teresa sits by Aris while Newt is a few feet in front of them, with Minho, Frypan and Thomas sit on the other side of the fire.
Y/N sits in between Aris and Newt, keeping to herself as usual. Ever since the Maze, Y/N hasn’t talked much. Mostly just to Thomas and Minho. She did talk to Newt a lot in the Maze, but after developing a huge crush on the Brit after a week of being brought up a few months after Newt went up, she decided to just ignore the feelings; even if that meant ignoring the blonde boy as well.
Small chatter was filling the silence of the desert, while others gathered around the fire to keep warm, Y/N kept away slightly, shivering like crazy under the jacket she found in the compound WICKED had them in.
Leaning against the old crate of sorts, she closes her eyes, ready to sleep for energy for the trek tomorrow.
“You alright, Y/N?” A voice asks softly, their accent thick. Y/N opens her eyes, her gaze falling upon Newt. His expression is one of concern, while the blanket draped over his shoulders hangs off loosely.
She nods, closing her eyes again to not have to look at him, trying to hide the blush rushing to her cheeks under his stare.
“I don’t think you are. You’re trembling,” The blonde points out, and he shuffles toward her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
She jumps, not expecting the contact, and especially from the more closed-off boy who was second-in-charge back in the Glade. Her eyes fly open, finding a pair of warm eyes with slight nervousness hidden to their depths stare back at hers, the bags under his eyes showing just how stressed and tired he really is. His lips are upturned in a soft smile, while his features are glowing with the light of the fire.
“Just because we’re more focusing on getting through this bloody dry land doesn’t mean I haven’t noticed that you’re avoiding me more,” He mumbles toward her ear, before distracting himself by fixing the blanket over both of their shoulders to keep warmth.
“Not avoiding your shuck face,” She mutters with a slight smile, while her head leans down onto his shoulder with the help of the Brit pushing her head gently to rest comfortably. “trying to avoid feelings that seem stupid and irrelevant out here in the shucking Scorch as they called it. Besides, I doubt the feeling is mutual.”
“Oh really? How could you even think that I couldn’t think of you like that? You’re beautiful, smart, and you can stand up for yourself. How could I not like you?” He murmurs, making her lift her head up and open her eyes to stare wide-eyed at Newt.
“What?” She whispers, though she heard every word.
“I like you back. The only reason I got the bloody courage to tell you is because Minho, the shuck face, doesn’t stop buggin’ teasing me about how I feel while telling me you feel the same.” Newt smiles, shaking his head at his friend. “Besides, why let a friend freeze? I don’t want to lose any more friends, and especially not one I’ve liked since I met her.”
Y/N smiles shyly as she leans her head back on his shoulder, curling into his side for heat as well as to hide the blush from his comment. She wraps her arms around Newt’s arm, snuggling further into his side as he places a soft, lingering kiss to the crown of her head.
“Get some sleep, love. I’ll be here when you wake up,” He mumbles, and she hums quietly in response while a small smile never leaves her lips as she falls into the first peaceful dream state in a long time.
Cr: Tumblr