The person backed up with arms raised. "Hold on."

Minho jut his head forward and raised a brow. "Hold on for what? Why are you following us?!"

The runner was on edge. Of course he was on edge. He was tired, torn apart by dehydration, hunger, and a severe lack of sleep. Or, maybe, he was getting cranked out. Right now, the last thing he wanted was someone following them with unknown motives. All Minho cared about was living long enough to find Y/N. He was so close. He knew it. If this is where she used to be a supply runner, it was likely she ended back up here once she found people who recognized her. But he didn't have time for this. Every second they spent here, wandering around, the further away she got.

"Ease off, man." Newt brushed Minho's arm a little to snap him out of his delirium. He understood Minho was starting to lose his mind, but this was talking it a bit far. This person hadn't harmed them yet, so it seemed the threat was low. If nothing else, maybe this person could help them. On the odd chance, maybe they'd even seen Y/N. "Maybe they can help us."

Newt didn't get the same threatening feeling from this person as Minho did. He eyed them up and down, something of familiarity crossing him. Part of him knew. The other part of him didn't want to believe it.

The person reached up. Minho held the rebar closer to them. They flinched but continued to grab hold of the makeshift face covering and goggles. They were definitely someone who worked in and out of the city, prepped for the scorch and blowing sand. A class depiction of a supply runner if you asked anyone here right now.

Minho blacked out. Or he had a something in his brain short circuit. He was out of it for a few seconds. He wasn't registering whatever his eyes were relaying to his mind.

When he came to, he saw Y/N's face, smiling, as she hugged Newt. He dropped the rebar and let it clatter on the ground. Y/N greet Brenda and the others, looking over the small group sadly. She knew many hadn't made it. Where they'd lost them, or how, she didn't feel it was her place to ask. What she could do now was help them with whatever journey they were on and keep as many people safe as possible.

Then, she moved to Minho. If things were better, if the group wasn't grieving and torn apart by the elements, she might just have snickered at Minho's constipated expression. "You okay?" She asked.

He was a storm of far too many emotions. All of those moments of breaking down and hating himself after they'd part ways in the maze came bubbling back to the surface. He wanted to bash his own face in with self-hatred. On the other hand, he felt ever muscle in his body relax just knowing she was still alive.

"You're lucky I didn't bash your shuck face in." He tried to point a finger at Y/N like he was scolding her but it fell away pretty fast. His heart took over and reached to hold her close.

"I wasn't sure if it was you or not." She muttered, reaching around his shoulders and squeezing. The pairs relationship back in the Glade had been mostly unspoken. They were running partners. They'd seen a lot together. It would be a full blown lie to say they didn't hold a nearly unhealthy amount of trust for one another. Now, out of the maze, now painfully aware of how quickly people could be lost? It didn't seem like such a crime to let each other know they cared. Maybe it was time to set aside that fear of letting anyone know they cared.

"Uh—your memory really that bad? You think it'd be hard to forget my face." It didn't take long for Minho to start getting back to his usual self to the misfortune of the rest of the group. His ego was in full swing once again and all those tender thoughts Y/N had just had almost fizzled. But she knew that cracking smart ass side of Minho was part of what made him.

"Well, you are looking a little rough." She stepped back and pat his chest with a teasing, sympathetic smile. "Looking like you might need a little of Frypans stew to cheer you up."

"Haha, very funny." Minho grimaced. The thought of Frypans stew, right now, after he hadn't eaten for what felt like days, in this scorching heat? Forget it. He'd rather pick up a handful of dirt and scarf it down.

"What's wrong with my stew?" Frypan panicked. He saw that sudden change in Minho's expression. His features hadn't lit up with elation at the thought of a nice meal. No, they'd soured like he was about to empty out all of the nothingness in his stomach.

"Nothing, Fry. It's great." Y/N assured. "How you been holding up without being able to cook?" She asked.

Frypan let out an exasperated, upset sigh. "Awful. My life's purpose is gone."

Y/N chuckled a little and nudged Frypan. "Hey, we'll get you cooking again soon. Don't worry."

"We're glad to have you hermana, but we gotta keep moving." Jorge pried his way between Y/N and Minho impatiently. "I hope you can knock some sense into him." He eyed Minho accusingly and Y/N snickered. Obviously these two bashed heads.

"Yeah, you're right. We can talk on the way." She agreed.

Minho wanted to grab Y/N's hand. Right now, the last thing he wanted to have happen was losing her again. He never wanted to feel that way again. Yet, all he could muster the confidence for was brushing his own hand against hers. He just wanted to feel in some way that she was there and to make sure she knew he was there too. That he honestly did care. She seemed to notice but didn't really react. First of all, he had a facade to hold up here. Y/N was the only one, maybe aside from Newt, who ever saw Minho with his guard entirely down. He didn't want Jorge seeing that he could actually be nice sometimes and that he actually wasn't an idiot. At some point, Minho knew it advantageous that everyone saw him as clueless and bigheaded.

"I'm sorry," Y/N muttered, looking down to the ground. She had long, energy filled strides carrying her beside Minho as they walked but he could tell something was off.

"For what?" He asked. As if she had anything to apologize for after he pushed her out of the maze. Regardless if that had been the right decision in the long run, he wasn't sure he'd ever forgive himself for having done that.

"I couldn't find a way to get you out." With a sigh, she looked at him. "Some people found me after I left the maze. The Right Arm—I guess they always have someone stationed outside of the maze incase anyone gets out so they can grab them before WICKED does. But we had to leave. They said that I couldn't do anything for everyone."

Minho saw Jorge listening to them now. "The Right Arm?"

"Yeah. It's who I've been staying with and doing supply runs for." She explained.

"That's who were looking for too." Jorge jumped into the conversation. "Do you know how to get there?"

She nod. "If you're with me, they should let us through. First, we need to find a faster way to get there. Otherwise, we're walking for a few days."

Jorge smirked. "I know just the thing."