Chapter 1: Headcannons
Chapter Text
-Harriet keeps extra blankets in her car for when they have road trips
-She taught them how to tie ropes because she knows random survival skills
-She makes them go camping with her
-She sometimes replaces hugs with shoulder punches
-She usually has an intimidating deadpan expression
-Sonya decorates their things with stickers and doodles
-When she has to do something really boring, she calls them to help her out with it
-She gives a lot of handmade gifts
-She gives platonic cheek kisses
-She has an old Nintendo 3DS, and it’s her pride and joy
-Aris usually has a pad or two on him because he’s with them so much
-He made a playlist with all of their favorite songs and musicians
-He goes through random periods of time where he just won't feel like talking so he’ll sit there and listen to them yap
-He can usually just give them a look to tell them if he wants to leave
-He never admits when he’s confused
-Sonya always plays passenger princess while Aris lays down on the entire backseat
-He’s their unspoken “I have a boyfriend” card if someone really won’t leave them alone
-Harriet has old videos of when Aris attempted nunchucks
-They all have matching key chains from Elementary school
-Harriet’s the oldest, Aris is in the middle, and Sonya is the youngest
Chapter 2: Love Is Us (Sonya)
Summary:
Love is much deeper than impossible cliches.
Chapter Text
Every step was pure agony, a deep ache that made me want to limp. My skin was burning off, the long clothes only lasting so long against the harsh atmosphere of the Scorch.
I don't think I can believe in Right Arm at this point. I don't think I can believe in anything.
“It shouldn't be too long now,”Harried tried to encourage. I couldn't help the look I gave her over my shoulder, complete and utter disbelief that she could believe anything would be okay. The length doesn't really matter when the entire world is a death trap.
“Harriet, it's really-”
Before I could finish my complaint, the lack of attention caught up to me, my stomach churning in knots as I lunged forward. My legs practically buckled at the first sign of something being off, hands desperately outstretched as I reached for thin, hot air. My eyes tightly shut, protecting at least one part of me as I could only accept my fall downhill, straight into sand.
As I covered my face, still trying to do something, tiny grains cut into my flesh, reminding me how much pain I actually was in. My elbows scraped against the floor, tearing one of my only forms of protection out here, somehow leaving me even more vulnerable to the elements. The wind was knocked out of me, forcing me to lie there under the burning sun as I gasped for air.
“Y/N!”Sonya called, sliding beside me, tone going higher the way it always does when panicked. Promising I was, for better or worse, still alive, I gave a grunt of frustration. “Are you okay, lovely?”she asked softly. I could feel a pair of eyes on us, Harriet watching the disaster go down and being ready to help.
Slowly sitting up, I nodded as I went to cross my legs before wincing as a sharp pain shot up my ankle. My face screwed up against my will at what was practically a death wish out here, the seemingly simple injury taunting that it would slow me down.
“Oh finch, are you okay?”Harriet asked hesitantly, the same realization hitting her just as hard.
“I can walk it off,”I said firmly, dragging my legs in front of me and planting them on the ground. Immediately, a strangled grunt left my throat at the ache that got worse in a few seconds, pure and undeserved pain when I was already suffering.
As I let myself fall down with another thump, I saw my ripped pants, showing off my knee that had blood bubbling to the surface.
“Can you go ahead a little bit to make sure it's safe?”
“Already on it.”
I watched the dark haired girl walk off while patting her belt, checking that the gun was still by her side. When she confirmed she had her protection, she walked off with ease, not one injury on her body.
Not me though. I can outrun Cranks, but apparently the ground is where the line is drawn.
“How badly does it hurt?”she asked softly, digging into her bag to pull out the gauze and what was left of the homemade alcohol from the Spring.
“Only my ankle. My knee isn't too bad.”
She nodded while grabbing the bottom of my pants that thankfully weren't too tight. She kept it as far away from my ankle as possible as she carefully pulled it up, treating me as though I’m delicate.
“I’m sorry,”I whispered, looking at the ground as my face burned in shame.
“It's okay. We're all tired. It was only a matter of time before someone got hurt,”she comforted, urging my knee up, supporting it with her hand. I lifted it without moving my ankle, letting her pull my pants above the scrape.
“That's not an excuse out here,”I pointed out, putting my leg back on the ground.
She said my name with disappointment in her voice before taking my chin in her hand, lifting me to look at her. Despite the countless kisses we shared, despite how we’d been together for over a year now, despite how we said I love you all the time, my face warmed, heart fluttering at the sight of her hazel eyes that shone beautifully in the hellish sun.
“You're my girl. You’ve been my girl for almost as long as I can remember. And that's exactly how I know how strong you are, how strong you have been even when everything's been so hard. You getting hurt isn't the end of the world. It won't stop us from reaching the Safe Haven. We're going to be okay. We're going to get there and have that future we always wanted. But you can't give up on that. You can't give up on me. Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay,”I accepted, letting her words hit me where it hurt, stomach filling with butterfly's at how gentle she always is with me, how caring and loving.
“This might sting,”she warned, holding the bottle over my leg.
“So would an infection,”I reminded myself before holding my breath and shutting my eyes. I’m not bad with blood, but I really don't think staring at it will do any good.
She counted to three. At each number, my fists clenched harder, eyes closing so tightly colorful dots clouded the darkness. While that pain would be nothing compared to what we suffered, it still wasn't a rollercoaster of fun.
She poured the now warm liquid over my cut. As warned and expected, my entire knee started stinging, making me throw my head back as I bit my lip to hold in a sound. How a small cut could turn into this affliction was more than unfair, even if it was my own clumsiness.
“I know, I know,”she coaxed, gently running her hand up and down my thigh. Letting myself sigh, I grabbed her hand. Turning it over, she pressed her palm to mine, making me smile.
“I’ve always got your back. You know that, right?”she checked as she let go to grab a bandage.
“As long as you know I’ve got yours.”
She gave me a small but firm nod before turning back to my injury. Making it as easy a fix as possible, I put it flat on the ground. She unpeeled the back of the bandage before shoving the trash in her pocket. It doesn't matter that the world is clearly already passed saving. She’ll do everything she can to avoid hurting it. Because that's just who Sonya is, who she always has been.
Gentle as always, she pressed the bandage to my skin, making me wince a little. After the disinfecting though, this was the easy part. So I sat still, watching her trace her fingers over it, making sure it would stay.
“All fine there. But-”
When she went to touch my ankle, I frantically pulled away, a burst of pain shooting through my leg at the simple action.
“Sorry, love. I know it hurts.”
“Not your fault,”I promised.
“I take it we're stopping for the night then?”
We both looked over at Harriet who already seemed ready to crash. That's understandable since we would have to in an hour anyway. The setting sun casting a bright orange hue over the sky, intensifying the sand, was relaxing on its own. The gradual freezing chill we would get later was a relief from the burns, even if we were unconscious for most of it.
“Yeah. We're stopping for the night.”
♡ - - - ♡
The stars seemed especially bright tonight, crystals shining down upon us. The clear skies felt kinder, like guidance instead of punishment for crimes that we never committed. The dust from the air had settled, making it healing to breathe into.
Harriet was long past consciousness, settling into the most comfortable rest you could get out here, right across from us. She was leaning against a rock, arms draped across her stretched legs.
“You should be like that too, you know?”she whispered, lightly squeezing my hand.
“You should too,”I reminded her, turning my head to look at her. She shrugged dismissively, refusing to say aloud what we both already knew.
She wouldn't sleep until I was.
“How’s your ankle?”
“Sore. Probably still going to slow me down,”I sighed, looking down at my foot that I had screwed up with something so simple.
“We’ll get there eventually,”she reassured me, her voice so firm that it took away every doubt for a second. She seemed to calm my racing mind, the constant worries and fears that made my chest heavy.
Turning my head, I took in everything about her. Her blonde hair was in a braid hanging over her shoulder, a few loose strands straying out from the pattern. Her collarbone and face were a light pink, exposed skin that she was doing her best to cover. Her bright hazel eyes held a fierce determination to make it to the end yet a gentleness to make sure she did it with me.
“I love you,”I promised.
I waited for her to say it back like she always did. Instead of giving me the response I breathe off of, she purposely turned to look at me, narrowing her eyes as if for the first time. While that should put a heaviness in my chest, the air was too different for the thought to even cross my mind. It seemed to be patiently waiting for something to happen, to ensure what words traveled past her soft lips danced around us.
After a long moment of staring, an unspoken suspense that made me shiver, she spoke.
“What does that mean?”
Her grip on my hand tightened, palm pressed firmly against me, assuring herself that I was real.
“Isn’t it this?”
“I know we're in love. I just . . . there has to be more to it than a definition. It has to be more than brain chemicals and deep affection.”
“In a cliche, it’s meant to be white dresses and rings. Flowers all around us and people that have been there watching someone walk down an aisle,”I visualized. A basic wedding, something with a bouquet toss and dancing into the night, was something so many people longed for for a reason. It was in romance books I had read and dreams I’d had. It was a fantasy before bed, a vision to hold on to.
“And we’ll never get the white picket fence and house on a hill,”she whispered.
“Not in this lifetime,”I agreed. Something that had the potential to be beautiful, to be wonderful and stressful and messy, could never belong to us.
“But it's part of why we stay alive, isn't it? Loving the thought of something beside this? Still loving life even after it hurt us?”
“Maybe. But that could also be human nature. The stubbornness to hold on.”
“Would we have that nature without other people though? If there was no one around when we screamed?”
The Maze we once thought was the worst it could get had a lot of screaming: silent screaming in frustration that we were always being watched, horrified screaming from within the walls after banishment, and excited screaming when we could forget about all of that for just one second.
“I think love was a few hours ago. When you were gentle with me. When you stopped even though we really can't afford to lose anytime just so I could heal faster.”
“And love is why I had to do that. It kills me to see you hurt in any kind of way. If I could take away all your pain and give it to me, I would,”she nodded. Her voice was breathy in a way that made my heart sing, a gratefulness at her presence that never truly stopped. Her beauty, her grace, her strength, all left me in awe at her existence, and even more shock that she was mine.
“And I would never let you. It's torture to see you hurt. When you're not okay, when life treats you badly, I want to burn everything down.”
“It's a circle then. Of looking out for each other. Of putting each other first and holding on for as long as possible.”
Slowly pulling her hand from mine, she moved it to the back of my head. I blindly followed without a word, letting her pull me closer. Her other hand pressed to my cheek, silently directing me to lean down. When I did so, shutting my eyes and holding my breath, she placed a soft kiss to my forehead, a surge of energy and care transferring from her to me.
“So that's what love is. Not fancy flowers and shiny things. It’s us,”I breathed out, resting my head on her shoulder as both her arms wrapped around me. Her knees pulled against her chest as she kept me close, body pressed against mine, trapping heat and love between us.
“It's us.”
Chapter 3: Imagine-Part 1 (Aris)
Chapter Text
-Aris’s first introduction to girls was intimidating so he was under the assumption that all girls were at least a little scary
-You had no interest in trying to scare anyone, which was a surprise to no one. From the start, there was something different about you, almost softer
-Despite the fair amount of hostility he was surrounded by, Aris realized that too. It's admittedly part of what drew him in to you
-You, like everyone else, remembered only your name and basic things. The difference was that one of your basic things was Disney princesses
-In particular, you were always thinking back on Rapunzel. You thought her situation was almost identical to yours and like her would get lost in your head sometimes thinking of freedom and whatever was outside the walls
-Something about the positive way you kept your head up made you way too easy to talk to
-You found comfort in the trees because it felt like a way to see what you weren't supposed to and get a glimpse of freedom
-You didn't have any super strong feelings about Aris at first but didn't mind that he was here. You knew that mindset wasn't a general outlook though, so you tried to be extra warm to him
-On a night when neither of you could really sleep, you ran into each other in the woods. He spotted you first because you were quietly singing an old Tangled song you remembered to a small bird family
-He thought it was cute so he sat at the end of the tree and listened
-You spotted him when you glanced down, making you jump in your spot for a moment as you stopped
-His face turned a dark red as he realized he was caught. Immediately, he stood to promise he just happened to come across you before realizing panicking wasn't the best look either
-When he ended up mumbling an apology and getting ready to walk off, you couldn't help but ask if he wanted to join you
-He hesitated at first before nodding. You moved over a bit on your branch, giving him room to sit next to you
-The height difference was a little more even, enough to where you could properly face each other. His cheeks warmed again when he realized so he quickly looked away, silently praying that you wouldn’t notice
-You did but didn’t mention it
-You both sat in silence for a while, mostly watching the Sping but occasionally sneaking glances at each other
-It should have been awkward, and probably would have been with anyone else, but he found the silence comforting, and you liked how there wasn’t pressure to talk when you were actively dozing off
-The next night, you were in the tree again, and like last time, he ended up with you as well
-You broke the silence early on, asking how he was doing. While he wanted to lie, you sounded and looked so sincere that he ended up confessing that everything felt like a lot and he wasn’t sure he could handle the constant eyes on him for much longer. He practically spilled his entire soul, promising that he was as clueless as everyone else and wanted out just as bad
-By the end, he was out of breath and embarrassed
-Before he could take it back with an apology though, you just said that you believed him
-He wasn’t sure if it was the words or because you said them, but that ended up being exactly what he needed to hear
Chapter 4: Imagine-Part 2 (Aris)
Chapter Text
-Aris found himself falling for you insanely quickly. You took your sweet time and didn't notice
-You both remained friends, but it was getting harder for him to pretend he didn't want something more
-You would listen to him when he'd rant about how little he’s able to deal with people, and he’d listen to you make up stories and your fantasies about what was out there
-On a day that felt particularly cold (but really wasn't any different), he suggested doing something to get your minds off of it
-You got his look of mischief in your eye he had learned to recognize and love
-Without a word, you climbed out of the tree and started leading him past everyone. He wasn't fond of sneaking out to do something he definitely shouldn't so late but kept his mouth shut for you
-When you lead him to the Runner's den, he bit the urge to ask you if you were okay mentally. You, already knowing him, assured him the Skaters have extra pairs for newbies and was just to burrow
-After finding your sizes, you dragged him back to the forest but deeper in
-Eventually, you led him to a frozen lake with the trees far apart enough to see the stars. Something about it felt more intimate than the tree. Maybe the fact that you were both aware it was the perfect date spot
-Still, you tried to ignore that as you tied up your skates. He stood there, too nervous to do the same
-Noticing, you offered him a smile and promised that you wouldn't let go
-Those words were all he needed to lace up and hold his hand out without looking at you
-As assured, you took his hand and helped him stand. He was already struggling big time, his knees wobbling
-His grip was a little too tight, but you didn't exactly mind. If anything, you liked it
-Because slowly but surely, you fell in love