Newt had always thought the Glade was the kind of place that stripped people down to what they really were—no past, no lies, no distractions. Just the walls, the work, and the fear. Yet somehow, Thomas had shown up and managed to stir everything Newt thought he understood about this miserable patch of green surrounded by stone.

He remembered when the Greenie first stumbled in, wide-eyed and lost, looking like he’d been thrown into hell and hadn’t quite caught his breath yet. Newt had seen dozens like him before—confused, panicked, desperate for answers that didn’t exist. But Thomas was different. There was something in the way he looked at the Maze, like he wasn’t afraid of it. Like it was daring him, and he was actually considering taking the challenge.

Over time, talking to Thomas had become the only thing that made the days feel less repetitive. They’d sit by the Map Room or near the Gardens after long shifts, trading bits of humor or quiet thoughts they couldn’t share with the others. Thomas had a way of asking questions that dug deep, the kind Newt didn’t usually bother thinking about anymore—about hope, escape, and whether any of this could mean something. And somehow, against his better judgment, Newt found himself wanting to answer.

There was comfort in the way Thomas listened—really listened, like Newt’s words mattered more than the noise of the Glade ever did. He caught himself watching him too often: the furrow of his brow when he thought too hard, the half-smile when he managed to joke despite everything. It was bloody annoying how easily Thomas could make him forget, even for a few minutes, that they were trapped here with no way out.

Newt wasn’t the kind to fall for anyone, especially not here, where attachments could mean pain, loss, or worse. But Thomas… he was starting to feel like the one good thing the Maze hadn’t taken from him yet. And maybe it was reckless, maybe even stupid—but in a place where every day felt like a fight for sanity, Newt found himself holding on to every stolen conversation, every fleeting glance, like it was something worth surviving for.

Because in the middle of all the fear and chaos, Thomas made him believe that maybe—just maybe—they weren’t as trapped as they thought.