#<- nope. shes getting more trauma tmr!

[thatonepoppyangstguy]

"I-I'm sorry.." "shes pissed because I abandoned her team out of guilt two years ago.." (definitely didnt forget to reblog)

A soft thump behind Poppy, a mysterious and scheming figure sneaking around..

Just expecting it to be her mischevious new pet mouse, she softly called out while continuing to clean up her desk "Frederick! Pspspspspsps!" The mouse scurried up to her from- .. .wwait it was in her desk? so then what was the thump..?

[sumicats]

ALIENATED

[ TAGS ] toxic dynamic, unreliable narration, manipulation, trauma, abuse of power, DEAD DOVE ; DO NOT EAT !

✦❅✧───✧❅✦ CHAPTER 2 - SCHOOL SPIRIT

Li's POV

God this is so embarrassing. Everyone already has their own friend circles from previous years. But there was no way I was going to stay in that school after-

[bell noise]

I quickly collect all my supplies and shove it into my backpack, hurrying to my next class. I don���t remember school being this long…it’s only the third period. I take out my schedule, trying to figure out where my next class is. I barely make it to my history class, as soon as I step in the bell rang. Wow, I must look stupid. I find a seat and take out the supplies I need for the class. The teacher goes through the curriculum. So boring… I rest my head on my hand, trying not to fall asleep.

“...Oh! For your first assignment you will receive a project…” 

I sit up from my desk. What? On the first day? But who the hell am I going to work with?! I look around, other people also giving each other confused glances. 

“You will be making a timeline about one of the global history topics listed on this sheet. You will be working in groups of 3-4! I will give you the remaining time to find a group and discuss the topic you want to research. You must let me know your group topic by tomorrow!”

I look around as everyone goes to ask their friends to be in their group. I sigh. I bury my head in my arms on the table. Do I have to wait until the teacher asks if everyone has a group? Wow, that’s really embarrassing. Loser. I raise my head quickly as I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around confused.

“Hey! You alright?” the girl says. I furrow my eyebrows. There’s some guy behind her.

“Yeah…” I say. Well this is awkward. 

“That’s good! Do you have a group yet? I haven’t seen you around,” she asks. 

“Nope,” I pause to think about what to say next. “Is it okay if I join yours?” Hope that wasn’t too risky. What if that guy behind her is her boyfriend? That would be REALLY awkward. 

“Yeah of course! I’m Kenzie and this is Jordan!” Kenzie says, pointing at the guy behind her. “What’s your name?”

“Oh- I’m Li,” I say. “Nice to meet you guys.”

“Yeah me too,” Jordan says with a grin. “Can we get your number? So we can meet up sometime to work on the project.” Oh yeah, we don’t get class time for this. 

“Yeah of course,” I say, pulling out my phone. I open my contacts to show them my number. They both whip out their phones.

[bell noise]

“See you around, Li!” Kenzie says, packing up her things and waving goodbye. I wave back. I also pack my things up. 

-

             The moment I step into my apartment, I collapse onto my couch. I seriously forgot how exhausting school can be. I guess not going to school for a year really screws you up.              I get up from the couch and take my homework out of my bag. I put my earbuds into my ears and start with my algebra 2 homework. 

             [ping]

             I look up from my school work to see a message from an unknown number. Who could that be? I opened the text message.

Unknown: heya li this is kenzie from global history

Unknown: the other number in the group chat is jordan

Unknown: Hi

Oh yeah, the project. I add their numbers to my contact before I reply.

You: Hey, what’s up?

Kenzie: jordan and i were wondering when u r available to meet up to work on the project

You: I’m free whenever, it’s up to you guys.

Jordan: Cool cool wanna meet up at Kenzie’s place next week?

You: Sure, that’s fine.

Kenzie: cya tmr li !!

I set a reminder for next week and closed my phone. I try to continue my homework as a light throbbing begins in my head. I groan. I guess I’ll make dinner now and head to bed early tonight.

Rei's POV

He seems a little too old compare to the typically observed 'junior' year... A little abnormal, no? Was he held back or something? He seems less orderly than the others, more sloppy..... He looks like he's a social outlier, with no companions, no 'friends', nobody that likes him, how sad.

"...Xil'ka! For your first Vro'thak zel'quar, you will receive a tek'lar zhor'vath xin'dar project..."

Is my translator breaking..?

I roughly tapped the back of my ear, hoping that some buttons were just broken.

Ugh… The budget could not be utilized to get me a better translation unit? I have done everything they ask of me, and they can't repay the favor? assholes…

"You will be making a zog'tar blimmo timeline about one of the global zylo'vaq history topics listed on this glib'nar sheet. You’ll zerk in grob'no groups of 3-4! I’ll squib your xarn with the remaining jort'lix time to find a klor and jibble the topic you want to quorpl. Glarx me your grob's zyx topic by zort'la tomorrow."

Seriously? You're kidding me, right? They want me to learn their languages but can not provide me with a sufficient translator? Ugh! Stop thinking like that, Rei! I'm lucky to even be here right now.. Stay focused. Focus on him. Remember why you're here. Okay.. He has a group project and he can't find any person to work with him. He seems distressed, panicked. I almost feel bad for him. Awww.. He's burying his face into his arms, sulking as he pities himself for being a social reject. What a loser.. He's just pitying himself, instead of trying to just fix such a simple problem. All he needs to do is just talk to other people. He can't do it on his own? Well, I mean maybe he has too because he's already on his own. Oh. Forget that thought. A person is talking to him. “Hey! You alright?” "Yeah..." Yeah? Seriously? Obviously not. You're sinking into your seat like you're about to break down.

“That’s good! Do you have a group yet? I haven’t seen you around,”

Really? Nooo way.... You haven't seen him around because he is not supposed to be here. He's an incompetent outlier. He was held back. What a moron... The more I think about it, the more miserable this guy is.

“Nope," . . . Is he going to say anything else? Does he know how to keep a conversation going? “Is it okay if I join yours?”

“Yeah of course! I’m Kenzie and this is Jordan!”

“Oh- I’m Li, nice to meet you."

“Yeah me too, can we get your number? So we can meet up sometime to work on the project.” “Yeah of course,”

Oh. That's how they communicate. I heard about this. They're all too reliant on their phones to think for themselves. Sure, my planet is a more technologically advanced than theirs but at least we can think. Half of the people here are looking at the screen for almost the entire d-

[bell noise]

Oh goodness! What the f̸͚̀ũ̴̧c̶̥̾k̵̡͝!? Ugh.. Those noises are agitating.. Do they really need to be so loud that they're ringing in my ears? If I could block out this sound, I would. “See you around, Li!”

-

Okay.. He's already collapsed on his couch. How lazy do you have to be? I was watching him the whole day and this stuff seems pretty easy. He's weak if he can't do this.. I watch him as he sighs and gets up from his couch, and takes out a worksheet labeled "ALGEBRA II" Algebra two? Seriously? He looks like my age and he's still learning algebra two? That's simple. This should be easy for me.

[ A/N ] slow updates.. sorry guys!! this is just a chapter to introduce more characters. next chapter might get better (*^_^*) hope u liked!

[iwillbeinmynest]

Safer Behind It - Newt x Reader(f)

Authors Notes: Well here it is my first Maze Runner fic! Hopefully y'all like it, or at least don’t hate it. This is based on moments from The Scorch Trials (book). Bold words are direct quotes from the book. I do not take any credit for Dashner’s work.

Word Count: 1.7k

Notes/Warnings: mentions of injuries, mentions of violence, mentions of trauma (from the maze), some fluff and angst if you look hard enough.

Masterlist

 Jorge found them after the lightning storm. Eleven new faces in the building on the outskirts of town. You listened as Jorge gave them the rundown of how things were going to go. When he called for the rest of you, you followed Brenda close.

You and Brenda hadn’t known each other too long but she was good and you trusted Jorge more than anything.

One of the new kids- a boy with dark hair- asked for a few minutes with Jorge.

“Me and you,” The kid begged. He stood over another boy who looked like he had been fried by lightning. Maybe he had, that storm was brutal.

“Ten minutes. Alone. That’s all I ask.” He went on.

You were surprised when Jorge agreed. He must have seen something in the kid you didn’t.

He told you and the others to watch this new group and to kill them if they made any moves. You knew he was being dramatic, adding the threat of death to remind the other Cranks behind you that he was in charge.

One of the boys you were supposed to be watching caught your eye. He was blonde and thin. He had a limp - you’d noticed it as he walked over and checked on the others in his group.

Brenda caught you staring at him. “Careful, Y/N.” She said quietly so the Cranks couldn’t hear her.

You rolled your eyes. “I can handle myself.”

“He’s not gonna like it if you don’t keep up the facade.”

“What’s he gonna do, have you run me through?” You tested.

You saw the twitch of a smirk at the corner of her mouth. “Just don’t be stupid.”

 You tugged up on the thin, tan, scarf that covered your nose and mouth. You didn’t like it to be down.

You walked over to the limping boy. You say boy, but really he was near your age if not a bit older. “You need to sit down,” you told him.

He looked at you carefully. “I’m just making sure these guys are alright.”

His voice sounded funny but you kinda liked it.

“I’m not going to ask again.” you drew the makeshift dagger you had from where it usually was sheathed at your lower back.

 He sighed but sat on the hard concrete next to the fried boy. He pulled a knee to his chest and mumbled, “Bloody shank girl.”

You smirked at that.

“What’s your name?” You asked him.

He looked up at you and there was no hiding the annoyance in his eyes. “Newt.”

“Newt?” You almost laughed. “Like the lizard?”

The boy next to him chuckled.

“No.” Newt huffed. “Like Issac Newton.”

 “I think I like my reason better, lizard boy.”

“Hey!” One of the Cranks behind you caught your attention. It was an older man, you didn’t know his name but you knew you didn’t like him. “What are you talkin’ so much about?”

“None of your business, old man.” You turned to him and left no room for him to think you might be afraid of him, which you weren’t.

“Back off, Murph.” Brenda said calmly as she whacked the flat side of her machete on his chest. “Let her have some fun before we rip them to shreds.”

It seemed to tide him over and he walked away but not before he stared you down again.

You rolled your eyes when his back was turned and exhaled a silent groan. You looked to Brenda.

She had her eyebrows raised and was clearly waiting for you to say,

“Thank you.” You muttered.

“Mhm.” She grinned. You knew she’d never say it out loud but she was starting you like having you around.

You turned back to Newt and crouched down, your sharpened letter opener gripped tightly in your hand. “So, tell me, Newt, What brings you out into the Scorch?”

“Don’t tell her klunk, dude.” The burnt boy said with spunk.

“I bet you’re the fun one.” You teased him, “You look like garbage. What happened to you?”

“He got struck by lightning,” Newt answered, “Or close to it anyways.”

“Yikes.” You responded. You’d been right.

“Didn’t even hurt.” He lied.

“Shuck off, Minho. You’re not fooling anyone.” Newt rolled his eyes.

“Screw you, man.” Minho all but pouted.

 “Why do you cover your face?” Newt asked, ignoring his friend. “No sun in here.”

You paused but tried to cover it and said, “So you don’t get distracted by how pretty I am.”

He smirked at that.

He had a nice smile. It lit up his eyes.

You stood up quickly and walked back to Brenda. Why did you care what his smile was like?

“You good?” She asked low again.

“Fine.” You lied. Actually you were scared by how much you were starting to like Newt. No sense in hurting yourself by getting attached.

Jorge and the dark haired boy reappeared from down the back hall.

Jorge told everyone that he, Brenda and yourself were going to take these few to get some food and that you’d all meet back up at the tower.

You didn’t know what he was planning but it had to be something, because he was putting on quite a show. He mentioned cutting off Minho’s fingers for punching him earlier and you honestly thought he might be serious about that part.

The other Cranks left and you walked behind Brenda as she led the way to the tunnels where you had hid the stash of food.

You helped pass out cans of food and watched as Brenda sat by Thomas - you’d recently learned his name.

You looked around, wondering where to settle amongst these new boys and found Newt looking at you.

“Here goes nothin’” you muttered to yourself beneath your mask.

You made your way over and sat against the wall beside him.

“Enjoying the meal?” You asked. He sure looked like he was.

He nodded, mouth full of cold beans.

“When was the last time you ate?” You realized that he, and everyone else that he’d come with, were eating like they’d been starved.

“Not but a few days ago,” He said when he’d finally swallowed. “But we were out in that bloody heat for so long.” His eyes stared into nothing for a moment and you could tell he was reliving something awful.

“How long were you actually out there?”

“Three, four, five days,” he asked himself. “I’m not sure.”

“Where did you come from?”

“You ask a lot of questions.” He returned to the present and out of the bad memories he’d been replaying. You watched him plaster on a smirk.

There was that smile again. You were glad your cheeks were covered because you were pretty sure you were blushing.

“Do I get to ask you any?”

You nodded, “Sure.”

“Why do you wear that over your face?” He repeated.

“Why do you care?”

His head ticked to the side. You’d asked another question.

You relented. “I already told you.”

“But we both know that wasn’t the truth.” He said before taking another bite.

You sombered and sighed. You were trying to find the words.

“I only partly lied.” You finally said.

 Newt stopped eating and shocked you with what he said next. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business if you don’t want to talk about it.”

It was so...considerate of him to say that. It had been a long time since anyone other that Jorge was considerate to you. Even Brenda was harsh when you’d met her and she still makes comments about it.

The look in your eyes must have revealed something to him.

“You really don’t have to tell me.”

For some reason you did, though. Maybe it was his soft voice, maybe it was the random kindness he’d displayed, but suddenly, you wanted to show him. Almost like a test to see if he was genuinely kind at heart.

You slipped your index finger under the cloth near your nose but before you pulled it down you said, “Just...brace yourself.”

You pulled the mask down below your chin, revealing the angry red scar that ran from your upper lip, just below your nose, all the way to your ear, which had a notch missing from it.

Newt barely flinched. He just looked at you.

Your scar had healed thick which made it distort your lip slightly.

“When I was first sent here, after finding out I had the Flare, a crank attacked me with a shard of glass. He got me pretty good but Jorge was there and he saved me. He couldn’t do much to make me look better, though.” You pulled your mask back up. “Most people just stare at it, instead of me. So, I cover it up.”

“You shouldn’t.” He offered a hint of a smile as he switched to his second can of food. “Nothing wrong with the way you look.”

You sat stunned.

“I broke my leg in three places. That’s why I have a limp. Do you only see the limp when you look at me?” He asked.

You shook your head, unable to think of anything to say.

He shrugged his shoulders. “See?”

 You bit down a smile that threatened to spread across your mouth. Good thing your mask was on.

“I’m sorry I called you lizard boy.” You felt bad for teasing him, now.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse.”

The two of you sat in silence for a short while. Then, you wondered something.

“What’s a shank?”

He chuckled, “Just something we say. Why?”

“Back in the building you called me a ‘bloody shank girl’.”

His cheeks flushed and he stared down at the can he was eating from. “Sorry.”

“So, shank isn’t nice then?”

“Depends…” He smirked, almost embarrassed he’d said that about you.

“And here I thought you were soft.”

He looked at you. “Nope, just wrong on occasion.”

“I’m Y/N, by the way.” You suddenly realized you’d never told him your name and now you wanted him to know it. To say it.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N.” He paused a moment before adding, “ I have a feeling I won’t regret it.” He glanced over at you again.

“You won’t.” You promised.

 *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

TMR Tags: 

@mo320