#the maze runner thomas | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mae-gi-writes · 1 year ago

Text

Finders Keepers | Gally [TMR] - Part 7

In which Gally gets soft for one of the boys in the Glade, only…is it a boy? alternatively; In which Mai disguises herself into a boy to fit in the Glade, only to be suspected by the keen eyes of the Builder's Keeper.

taglist: @edynmeyer1 @ss28 @kurowvie@vaugarkel@marikittt @angelfrombeneth @undeniableadrenaline @persiar9 @ss28 @sage-burrow @ripleyswife @kikiay

Also available on Wattpad.

PREVIOUS | NEXT >>>

As it turns out, peace never lasts in a place just like the Glade.

It's a few days after Chuck's arrival and the Runners have been out since dawn to map out more areas of the Maze, but when Minho and Ben had made it back during the midday break, the other two Runners — Wesley and Kai — had still been missing. This only led Mai to pick at her fingers as she gazed anxiously at the maze entrance. She hadn't spoken much to the two, considering that Gally's presence by her side always deterred Gladers from striking up conversation, but she'd always served them breakfast first. She knows their faces, can hear their voices at the dining table if she squeezed her eyes hard enough. And the thought of not seeing these familiar faces causes a knot to form in her stomach.

"What if they don't make it back in time?" She asks Frypan as they are preparing dinner. Tonight is stewed beans and rice with a side of omelet and tomatoes from the gardens. The flavorful aromas are already simmering in the pot, whistling softly in the background and not helping Mai's nervous fingers tapping onto her chopping board.

"They will," Frypan's voice is filled with certainty. He clearly doesn't seem all too stressed about them not making it.

But the hour comes up and still there's no sign of them. Mai's heart starts thudding like a crazy horse and unconsciously her teeth starts gnawing on her bottom lip so hard that she draws blood. So worried she is that she decides to abandon Frypan for a moment so that she can find Minho.

He's by the Keeper's huts, poring over what seems to be scribbles onto pieces of scrap paper with Alby by his side. They both look up and the asian young man quickly crumples up the sheets in his grip.

"Hey Greenie," Minho says with forced joviality, "what's up?"

"Your Runners are missing," Mai states plainly, "why aren't you looking for them?"

There's a distinctive glance that occurs between the two Gladers standing before her and something niggles at the back of Mai's mind. They're not telling her the whole truth, she feels it like an ache in her bones. Something about the shifty way Minho's eyes avoids hers and how Alby lets out a sigh of what seems to be exasperation.

Or exhaustion. Either way, it's clear that there's more than what they're offering to tell her.

"They'll be back." Minho finally says with a jerk of his chin, "they'll make it."

"What if they don't? Why can't we send out a search for them?" Mai gestures towards the Maze with impatience, "You know this Maze by heart, you--"

"It's not that simple Mai," Alby cuts her off before she can continue. His mouth presses down into a thin line, "they'll be back. Just trust them a little, yeah?"

In the end, it hadn't mattered. Two minutes before the doors are due to close, Mai's ears pick up on the sound of shouts. Or more specifically, a desperate yell that echoes across the whole Glade and causes all Gladers to drop whatever they're doing in favor of sprinting towards the Maze doors, where the sound is coming from.

Mai rushes forward, trying her best to see through the throng of tall bodies that surround her as she hears Kai shout out, "Call the Med-jacks! We've got a Runner down!"

"What's wrong with him?" one of the gladers ask as some come to the rescue, lifting his limbs to carry him towards the hut. Mai tries to follow, scrambling and stumbling over rocks as she does.

"He's been stung," Kai's voice shakes with emotion and Mai's heart crumbles. She stops dead in her tracks, gazing at the backs of the group as they carry the injured boy towards the Med-Jacks. She can still see the traces of blood in the grassy path that had been stomped over by boots in the process. It's salty and metallic, the smell making her want to vomit the contents of her lunch.

Later on that evening finds her sitting alone at a nearby table after everyone's had their fill of dinner, scooping up the contents of her stew before dropping it back into her bowl. She has no appetite, she finds. Not after having witnessed such a scene earlier on. Her stomach twists and bile rises to the back of her throat just by thinking about it.

Her thoughts keep running a mile an hour; Is Wesley okay? What does that mean if he's stung? Can he be cured? If not, will he--

"Hey Greenie?"

Mai's head shoots up just in time to blink at Gally's curious gaze. He looks down at her, eyebrows raised as he takes in her countenance, before sliding into the seat opposite her.

"What's wrong?" he tilts his head with a frown as his hands come up to his lips. He's just showered, blonde locks licking across his forehead and cheeks flushed from warmth.

When she doesn't respond, Gally presses his lips together and looks away, "it's Wesley, isn't it?"

Mai nods, not trusting herself to speak. She scoops another spoonful of stew before swallowing thickly, only to murmur out, "what happened to Wesley?"

She hasn't wanted her voice to come out so tiny, like a murmured whisper barely above a breath, but the tremor in her voice gives her away and Gally's expression softens slightly.

He takes a breath, "he's been stung," he states it as bluntly as he can, knowing that it won't do any good to hide anything from her, "that's what happens when a Griever gets to you."

"Are they--Is it--" Mai can't find it in herself to ask that question aloud and thankfully, Gally understands and quickly finishes it for her, "deadly?"

The girl nods, eyes dimming when the Builder merely nods in return. When he speaks next, his voice has softened to a murmur, "I don't think I've heard of anyone who survived the Sting."

"What will happen to him?"

Gally's hand goes up to rub at his chin, "he's going to get banished." he finally says without meeting her eyes.

"What?" Mai shoots up in her seat, "why would they do that?! He's one of our own. He belongs to the Glade--"

"Not anymore Mai," Gally interrupts firmly, "Gladers that are stung are dangerous. They go crazy, they can kill you. And we can't take that risk."

"But that's--that's illegal, that's not human--"

"It's what makes it safe here."

Disgust coils in her stomach. Mai shoves her seat back, suddenly not hungry and with the need to scream, to shout, to rip out her own hair in frustration, "you guys make me sick," she spits out in a hiss, "I can't do this."

"Mai, wait--"

But it's too late. The girl storms away after having dumped her entire food tray into the kitchen sink and disappearing into the darkness before Gally can do anything else. The Builder sinks down into his seat with another sigh, one of his hands rubbing the back of his neck in tiredness.

He can understand where she's coming from. It's a shock at the very beginning, to learn about such drastic measures. But it's necessary and Gally believes in them.

"I suspect the princess she-bean isn't too happy to learn about the way we do stuff around here?" comes an accented voice and Gally can't help but let out a small smile when Newt slides into the seat once occupied by the said girl in question. Newt shoves a spoonful of stew into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he gazes at his friend, "she'll get round to it eventually. Like everyone else does I suppose."

"It's the rules, she'll get over it," Gally replies, "she just doesn't like violence."

"Neither do I Gal," Newt responds quietly, "but we don't have a choice there, do we?"

"No," Gally says, "I suppose not."

------

Knock knock knock.

Gally's eyes fly open. His head turns towards the door, frowning as he realizes it's still dark outside. Probably early morning. Whatever shank deciding to wake him had better be worth it.

He's more than surprised when he opens the door to be greeted by none other than the she-bean herself.

"Greenie?" A small yawn escapes him, "what're you doing here?"

"I—I can't sleep," she shuffles her feet looking like a lost puppy and when her eyes flit up to his he swears he feels his heart squeeze in his chest. God she's cute when she wants to be, "can I come in?"

Gally steps back silently for her to duck through the door before closing it behind her. The girl looks around uncertainly, not quite knowing where to place herself in Gally's space.

Adorable. He clears his throat and shakes his head, "sit."

He motions towards the bed and after a few seconds of hesitation, Mai does as told. He follows soon after, making sure to leave some space in-between.

The way Mai is picking at her fingers with a sudden bout of nervousness has him thinking that maybe there's something about the Banishment and the stung glader that's running around in her head like clockwork. It's etched across her features, the worry and the apprehension of having to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Gally knows it all too well, he's spent months grappling over what is right and what is wrong, and what he needs to let go to a certain extent. Mai is just starting to discover the ugly truth behind the Glade.

"What's wrong?" he prompts when the girl says nothing still. Her eyes are fixed on the door before her, gaze blank and in a daze.

She blinks back to reality upon hearing his voice, turning her head to face him. In his bed she looks even tinier in comparison and part of him wishes to engulf her in a hug at the uncertainty, the hopelessness flickering across her face.

"I--I can't sleep," her teeth find purchase onto her lower lip that she chews on, "I keep thinking about Wesley and how he didn't have to get stung. How he could've been alive if he hadn't gone into the Maze."

"That's why the Maze is off limits to Gladers," Gally replies, "only the Runners get to go in there."

"But what if these creatures--" she frowns in thought and he prompts, "grievers?"

"Yeah. Grievers. What if these grievers walk through the Maze doors? Have they ever done that?"

"The grievers stay in the Maze. No one's seen 'em apart from the Runners. We hear 'em though."

The girl shivers, "I don't like this," she admits softly, "I don't like that we have to banish people."

"That's how we're kept safe," Gally lets out a sigh, "it shuckin' sucks but it keeps us alive."

"Would you banish me?" she looks him straight in the eye then, "If I got Stung?"

It takes Gally a moment to reply. Surprise comes first, follows by a rush of grief and desperation to keep her safe. Just the thought of her in the Maze makes him edgy. He opens his mouth, closes it, then opens it once more to say:

"You won't get Stung Greenie," his words are soft and tender, the tenderest she's ever heard him be, "I won't let you."

"But that's not your choice to make Gally." her gaze is determined and firm, unblinking on his figure, "so would you?"

He leans forward with a frown, "would you?" he asks instead, "what if I'm the one that got Stung? What then?"

"I wouldn't."

Her answer is straightforward. Simple. Yet, it causes something to stir in his chest. Gally swallows, exhales a soft breath as he looks away, unable to keep on gazing at Mai without wanting to do something to appease her or just make the situation better.

"So you'd rather I kill you then?" he shakes his head, a grim look taking over his features, "you don't know what you're talkin' about Greenie. It's not that simple."

"I'd never Banish you Gally," Mai says with sudden ferocity as she leans closer to his face, hands pressing down onto his bedspread, "you're my friend. I could never do that."

Gally can't help but blink at her like he's seeing her for the first time. Her words ring out between them like a promise, a beacon of light that rams into him so unexpectedly that his chest aches with the sudden rush of emotion that courses through him. A wave of warmth trickles into his stomach, making heat rise through his cheeks at Mai's sudden confession.

Shuck. He could kiss her.

The thought rams into him with such force it makes it hard to breathe. No!, he yells at himself, he's just being emotional. That's all! Nothing else to it!

Which is probably why he says:

"It's late," he quickly turns away from her and tries his best not to stutter, "we have to sleep."

He plops down onto his side, not caring about whether Mai is going to share is space or not, and turning away from her in order to wrap his arms over his chest, hoping and praying that she can't hear how his heart is pounding through it like a set of drums.

"Gally," He can sense Mai peering over his shoulder with that confused, doe-eyed look she always gives him whenever she's clueless about something. It makes his fingers ache to pinch her cheek, "did I--did I say something wrong? I'm sorry if I offended you, it's just--"

"No," he cuts her of abruptly, "nothing's wrong. Just go to sleep, Greenie. We have a long day tomorrow."

Another sigh is heard. A second later, he feels Mai's warmth brushing against his back and squeezes his eyes shut. It's fine, he tells himself, it's fine. You've done this before. She's a friend, just like anyone else in the Glade.

But he knows himself better than this. Who is he kidding? The feeling is there, pulsing underneath his skin and filling his veins up with want. He doesn't want to admit it to himself, had tried denying it for the longest time. The thing is, it had been easier when he thought of Mai as a guy. He could easily dismissive it for brotherly affection, or just a passing urge. But everything changed once Mai confessed about her true identity.

Now, Gally can't even keep her out of his thoughts even if he wanted to. She's just there, forever waiting, forever plaguing his brain like an echo of a poem that Gally knows off by heart even if he doesn't want to.

In other words, he's shucked.

209 notes · View notes