Threads of Hope | A Newt x Reader Story

The garden was one of the quieter places in the Glade, the steady rhythm of work filling the air instead of constant chatter or hammering. The scent of damp earth mixed with the crisp freshness of the surrounding trees, the golden rays of late afternoon sun filtering through the leaves. It was one of my favorite places to be when I wasn't running.

And it didn't hurt that Newt was here too.

I leaned against a wooden post, pretending to check the state of the vines curling around it, but in reality, my attention was elsewhere.

Newt was a few feet away, hacking at the overgrown weeds with his machete, the muscles in his arms flexing with every controlled movement. He'd ditched his usual button-up, leaving only an orange tank top clinging to his frame, while the shirt was tied loosely around his waist. The glint of sweat on his skin shimmered in the sunlight as he worked, a few strands of his messy blonde hair sticking to his forehead.

I should've been focusing on my own work, but watching him move, the way his brows furrowed in concentration, the effortless way he handled the machete strapped to his back—it was distracting.

Fascinating, really.

I swallowed, forcing myself to pull my gaze away before I got caught openly staring.

But before I could shake myself out of my thoughts, Thomas' voice cut through the peace, interrupting everything.

"Has anyone ever tried climbing to the top of the Maze?"

Newt and I both turned toward him. He was standing just inside the garden, looking up toward the towering walls that surrounded us, his expression thoughtful.

Newt glanced at me with an amused smirk before turning back to Thomas. "Tried it," he said easily, rolling his shoulders. "The ivy doesn't go all the way to the top. And besides, where are you gonna go from there?"

Thomas frowned. "I don't know. I just—" He ran a hand through his hair. "There's got to be another way. You guys have been here for years, and no one's gotten out?"

I dusted off my hands and sighed. "Trust me, anything you could think of, we've already tried. A dozen times over."

Newt nodded. "The only way out of here is through the Maze." He wiped his hands on his shirt before tossing a pail straight at Thomas, making him fumble to catch it. "Now stop thinking so damn much and dig up more fertilizer."

Thomas groaned but took the pail without further argument, trudging off toward the compost pile.

Newt chuckled under his breath before turning to me. "You looked real deep in thought before the Greenie spoke up."

I shrugged, smirking slightly. "Just admiring the view."

His eyebrows lifted in amusement. "Oh yeah?"

I winked before grabbing my own pail and heading toward the other side of the garden. If my heart was racing just a little faster, I blamed it on the sun.

Newt chuckled behind me, and I swore I could still feel his eyes on me long after I turned away.

𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢𓇢

The peace didn't last long.

A loud, terrified scream shattered the calm.

"HEY! HELP!"

My head snapped up just in time to see Thomas sprinting out of the woods, eyes wide with panic. My heart lurched at the sight of him, but my stomach dropped further when I saw who was chasing him.