Stolen [The Maze Runner Fanfiction]

XV. Tension

It had been two days since Minho and I had started running together again, and while I was no longer mad at him, the past two days had been anything but normal. A whole new kinda of awkwardness had settled in, full of tension and confusion. We hadn't kissed since that day in his room, and nothing had really been said about it. It was confusing to me, considering his admission that he'd wanted to kiss me again. Maybe he hadn't liked it?

"Ready to go?" Minho asks, as Kate and I finish up our breakfast.

"Yep," I say, trying not to look at him. I wasn't upset, just confused, but it was hard for me to look at him and not think about our kiss. The way his lips felt on mine. It was difficult to concentrate.

"Sky?" Kates voice snaps me out of my reverie. "Hello?"

"Huh? Yeah?" I say, snapping my head up to look at her. She knew Minho and I were on speaking terms again, but I hadn't told her everything just yet.

"You ok?" She asks, looking slight concerned. "You were completely spaced out."

"I'm fine," I say dismissing her with a wave. She gets up from the table and heads towards the stairs.

"You can say that again," I hear a low whistle and turn to see Minho smirking at me.

"Excuse me?" I say more out of shock than anything. Did I really just hear that? Minho only laughs and winks at me before heading for the doors.

"What was that about?" Kate asks, coming back to the table holding both of our backpacks. She hadn't heard Minho, but she must've noticed me staring after him as he jogged away.

"I have no idea" I say, shaking my head. Kate looks like she doesn't believe me, but doesn't say anything.

A few minutes later were standing in front of the doors, waiting for them to open. As a trainee, I still have to run with Minho, so I stand beside him, while Kate has already moved off to the other door to map her own section. I enjoy Minho's company, but today the tension is stifling. It's so strong I can barely take it. I resolve to ask him about it today, I can't stand not having my friend any longer. Sure I wanted to kiss him again, but if that wasn't what he wanted I was fine with that, that is so long as I could still have him as a friend.

"Let's go," he says, as the doors creak open sending shock waves reverberating through the entirety of the glade. Anyone who was still asleep would be up now. I notice that his eyes linger on me as he says it, almost like he's debating something in his mind. I wish he would tell me what it was.

"What?" I ask, as we begin our jog into the maze, the ivy covered walls towering on either side. He makes no reply, just shakes his head and keeps running. Ignore it at first, but soon I can't stand the awkwardness anymore.

"Minho!" I say, stopping dead in my tracks around a particularly sharp corner.

"What is it?!" He shouts mistaking my resolve for surprise. I can see his eyes darting around the maze, and then flitting over me, trying to find the problem. "What's wrong?" He asks again, when he can't seem to figure out why we've stopped.

"We have to talk about this." I say, rolling my eyes at him. "I can't take it anymore."

"Talk about what?" He asks, looking at me innocently. But I can see the smirk working it's way onto his lips. His lips.... I get caught staring at them and lose my train of thought. "Talk about what Sky?" He repeats, snapping at me to get my attention.

"This," I say, waving my arms around and gesturing between us, "whatever this is."

I feel my face flush once again as he takes a step towards me. "This?" He asks, reaching out to run a hand across my cheek. "What about it?"

"Well we can't just keep avoiding it!" I say, trying my best not to be distracted by the smile that has worked it's way onto his face or the way his fingers felt brushing against my cheek. "So," I say slowly, "what do you want?"

"What do I want?" He repeats, coming closer until my back is pressed against the wall, "what do I want? What do you want Skylar?" He smirks as he says it, and sends goosebumps spreading across my body. The warmth radiating from him only increases the tension, making it hard for me to breathe properly.

"You," I whisper, swallowing hard. "I want to be with you. But if you don't want that it's fi–" I don't have time to finish. Heat spreads across my body as he puts his hands on my waist, pulling me close to him.

He bends down close to me, his lips brushing against my ear, "I'd like that," he says softly, and for once he sounds nervous. I see a soft blush rise in his cheeks as he leans away, and I smile.

"Then why didn't you say so sooner," I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. I pull myself even closer, our faces just inches apart.

"Because I was worried," he says, glancing at my lips, "that you wouldn't feel the same."

"I kissed you, you slinthead," I say, shaking my head slightly, "how could you not–" but then he's interrupting me again, this time with his mouth against mine. His lips are surprisingly soft as I kiss back, stealing my breath away as he pushes us both against the wall. His hands move across my back, up my neck, and eventually into my hair. All the fear and tension breaks away, leaving me feeling reckless and indescribably happy. The kisses come faster as I run my hands along his arms, tracing my way up his sleeves. Our bodies move together in sync, pressing together until there isn't any space left between us.

Finally, Minho breaks away, but only barely, his lips still touching mine as he speaks, "we have to run the maze," he gasps, his eyes looking wild. But even as he says it his lips come back to mine.

"Ok," I say finally, breaking away after a few more kisses. He nods and let's me go, and we start running again, both of us trying to catch our breath.

We only make it through a few more turns, before Minho stops, pulling me agains him once again.

"Minho," I breathe, in between kisses, "I thought you said," I stop fighting his attempts to bring my mouth to his and kiss him back.

"I know," he says finally, breaking the kiss, "but I don't think we should go any further," he smirks as he says it, "I might not be able to remember any of the turns, and then where would that leave us?"

"Mhmm" I mutter against his lips, "you know the maze like the back of your hand."

"Well," he says, kissing me again, "if you didn't notice I'm a bit distracted today."

"Hmm, is that so?"