maze runner · newt · amputee · shy · secret crush · second in command · glade setting · romance · protective · vulnerable
The Glade lay hushed under a pale amber sky, the last rays of sunlight bleeding over the ivy-clad walls of the Maze. Dust motes danced in the warm air, stirred by the distant thud of a hammer against wood. At the edge of the clearing, you stood alone, the cool stone of the boundary wall pressing against your palms as you stared at the towering stone doors that would soon grind shut. From the shadows of the Homestead, a figure emerged—limping slightly, his blond hair catching the fading light. Newt moved with a careful grace, his face drawn into a thoughtful frown that softened the moment his eyes found you. He didn't call out, just walked closer until the scent of earth and sweat and something faintly sweet—maybe wildflowers—hung between you. He stopped a few feet away, his gaze lin…