𝙄'𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 echoes through the crowded concrete foyer as Blake walks off the to side, listening closely as Gally rambles.

"After the maze, I got picked up by a group headed to the city. They realized I was immune and patched me up." The boy continued as he led the group down a ramp.

"And they brought me here to Lawrence. This group's been at war with WCKD ever since they took control of the city. But WCKD can't hide behind those walls forever." Gally rambles on as Blake glances to the right, connecting her emerald orbs with Thomas' whiskey brown with her eyebrows raised.

"Day's gonna come. And they're going to pay for what they've done." Gally finishes his little speech, stopping in his tracks as he turns his body around the face the group.

"Listen, uh.." the buzz cut boy starts "He doesn't get a lot of visitors...so let me do the talking." Gally presses his lips together before settling his eyes on the small brunette glaring back at him with her arms folded over her chest. "Thomas, try to keep the she-demon in check. Alright?"

Blake's eyebrows knit together as she glances to the boy beside her, noting the small tug pulling up on the corners of his lips.

Scoffing, Blake sends Thomas a warning glare as she pushes past the ex builder.

"Somebody hasn't changed." Gally muttered as Blake turned around a few steps away, waiting on the taller boy to guide them.

"And—try not to stare." The boy warned before nodding to the group to follow.

Blake follows closely in behind Thomas, furrowing her eyebrows as the man below the steps talks to himself.

"Rose took my nose, I suppose." The man hums, earring a disapproving gaze to fall from widened emerald orbs.

𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤.
𝘍𝘢𝘯-𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤.

The group's footsteps lightly tap against the metal below as they follow Gally down the steps, Blake keeping a safe distance away from the man as she steps beside Thomas.

"Gally." The man calls out, turning to face the group as the sunlight floods through the window panes, only revealing the man's silhouette. "Glad to see you made it back...Jasper told me what happened."

"It was a slaughter." The tall boy responded, settling his hands to rest on-top of this chest guard. "There's nothing we can do about those guns."

"No, but they can only poke the hornet's nest so long before they get stung." The man says as he brings a red rose, up to take a sniff.

Blake cringes as she watches the scene play out, not knowing what else to do as she and the others stand there awkwardly.

"Now, who are these people?" The man questions as he twirls the stem of the rose, not bothering to show himself to the group standing awkwardly around him. "Why are they here?"

"We need to get into WCKD." Thomas says, stepping forward as Blake fights the urge to roll her eyes.

𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰.

"Gally said you can get us through the walls."

The man simply chuckles at Thomas before speaking after a slight pause. "Well, Gally should know better than to make promises he can't keep."

Footsteps echo through the small room as the man sighs. "Besides, that wall is only half your problem." Grabbing the metal stand next to him, with fluids flowing through the tubes, the man rolls the IV with him as he comes closer to the group. "Getting inside WCKD is impossible."

"There might be a way now." Gally cuts in, hesitating a moment, before continuing. "But it doesn't work without Thomas."

Blake's eyebrows furrow as she peers over Thomas' shoulder from a few feet away, watching as the boy sends Gally a look of confusion.

??!????

"Is that so?" The older man questions, glancing to over to Thomas. His eyes trail over the young boy for a split second before focusing on a small brunette behind the boy. Shifting the IV closer to the group, the man finally emerges from the shadow concealing his identity—

"Do you know what I am—" The man asks as he stalks closer, switching his gaze back onto the boy, who tries not to stare. "Thomas—"

Blake finches back as the sound of the IV's metal suddenly scrapes against the ground, trying to not let out a gasp as the side of the man's face is revealed.

Standing inches away from the boy's face, the man whispers "I am a business man." The man says before trailing his eyes to focus behind the boy.

Thomas keeps his gaze hardened onto the creepy old man as he slightly glances behind him to see what the man shifted his eyes to.

𝘖𝘩, 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰.

Instantly growing more agitated and pissed off, Thomas' gaze forms into a deadly glare as he steps to the side, to block the man's view of the small brunette.

"Which means that I don't take unnecessary risks—why should I trust you?" The man continues, his lips pulling into an evil smirk—knowing that he found the boy's weakness.

"'Cause I can help you." Thomas answers quietly, standing his ground as the man stands all but a foot away. "You see—if you can get me through those walls...I can get you anything you need."

"What is it, that you think I need?" The man questions, cocking his head to the side as he stares at the boy.

"Time." Thomas answers simply "Every last drop."

The man scoffs as he flickers his gaze between the floor—thinking for a second. "Is that what I need?" The man questions again, making Blake shift uncomfortably behind Thomas as she sends Newt a worried glance.

"WCKD has something we both want." Thomas pushes

"I'll tell you what..." The man trails off, glancing behind the boy to land his eyes on the small brunette, staring back at him—over Thomas' shoulder in discomfort.

Newt shakes his head slowly as he steps next to the girl and crosses his arms over his chest, taking a protective stance.

"Three can go for now. The rest stay down here with me.." The man smiles, noticing the hesitation in Thomas' eyes as he cocks his head to the side. "Just a little insurance to make sure you find your way back."

Thomas hesitantly nods as he shifts his gaze back to the group behind him—immediately catching Blake's concerned emeralds before turning back around.

"We have a deal?" The man asks, lifting his hand up for Thomas to shake.

Thomas pauses for a brief moment, before grasping the man's hand in confirmation.

The man chuckles lightly as he glances around the group surrounding Thomas. "Gally, show them the way."

"If you think for one second, that I'm not coming with you...you'r—"

Thomas rolls his eyes at the small girl following closely behind him. "You're coming, Blake. Don't worry."

Blake's eyebrows furrow as her mouth falls open. "Wha—"

Turning around to face the girl, Thomas waits for everyone else in the group to walk ahead. Once, they're out of earshot, Thomas lets a sigh leave his lips.

"You really think I'm going to let you stay back with that creep?" The boy nods back to where they had just left, a scoff leaving his lips as he continues. "And—I know for a 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩, that you'd follow no matter what...Minho means the world to you and I know you'd do anything to help bring him home."

Blake's mouth stays hanging open as she watches the boy in front of her intently. Emerald orbs softening with every word falling out of the boy's lips.

"I'm not leaving you, okay?—Not again." Thomas shakes his head as his whiskey orbs soften at the sight of the small girl standing inches away.

"I—"

"Thomas!—Blake!" A voice calls out "Hurry the hell up! We don't have all day."

Irritated to hell, Thomas squeezes his eyes shut and presses his lips together. 𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦.

Blake blinks in confusion as she watches the boy's scowl spread across his handsome face.

"We should catch up..." The small brunette tries to clear the tension, sending the boy a soft smile as she steps away to leave.

A large hand quickly shoots out and gasps the small girl's bicep—pulling her back to where she once stood, as Blake's eyebrows scrunched into confusion.

"Wha—"

Warm, plump lips pressing hard against her own, makes the girl freeze with shock. Sparks fly through Blake's body as she melts into the kiss, letting a small sigh leave her lips as Thomas pulls her closer by the base of her throat.

Butterflies flutter in the boy's stomach as he runs his thumb along her sensitive skin, wanting nothing more than to devour the girl's lips right then and there—𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.

Time seemed to stand still as the two melted into each other's embrace. Lips smacking together as their hearts soared with oxytocin.

Suddenly, another voice echos through the small corridor, calling the two brunette's names. Catching the two off guard as they quickly pull apart.

"Hey, we really need to hurry." Gally's voice makes the small brunette jump away from the boy in front of her.

"Sorry—we're coming." Thomas' voice comes out raspy and horse as he sets his softened gaze on Blake's swollen and red lips. 𝘍𝘶𝘤𝘬