TROUBLE || Gally x Reader

10 || Ruined Bonfire

My day in the gardens seemed to stretch on forever. Zart had not let me off of work even for a lunch break and I felt like my body would give way at any second.

After ten excruciatingly long hours, Newt came over to me and said that since he was done his work and I was still on his watch that he was excusing me from the rest of my work.

I put up a bit of a fight to that, arguing that the same situation wouldn't have occurred if I was a boy.

He just rolled his eyes at my feeble protest and told me that I could drop my high defences because Zart wasn't around and that Zart also wouldn't have assigned that tedious amount of work to a boy.

Reluctantly, I followed him to dinner. We grabbed our food and sat down at the same table as we had for breakfast.

"Where were you at lunch, (Y/N)?" Minho asked sassily as if he was the leader of the popular clan and I had just blown him off.

"Zart wouldn't let her out of the Gardens." Newt explained for me, giving Minho a look that said 'knock it off'. Minho gave me a sympathetic look.

"Sorry your first day sucked, Shebean." He said, his demeanor doing a full swap from cold to genuine, "I guess we never knew who the sexist slintheads were until you showed up."

"You don't have to apologize, just ignore my complete lack of manners as I inhale this pasta." I said, making him and Chuck both smile. I think I'm starting to make some friends here.

I stuffed my face and was done in under five minutes. I could feel the shakiness in my muscles fade as I refueled. Once we were all done eating we remained seated, far too wrapped up in our conversation to notice that we were all finished.

"Oi, (Y/N)?" Alby tapped me on the shoulder, "Are ya done?" I nodded in response, starting to stack up dishes as I realized I could have done it about ten minutes ago.

"I've decided that we'll do 24-hour shifts with who's responsible for ya, switchin' every day after dinner. Newt's already done his shift-" Alby clapped a hand down on Newt's shoulder in thanks, "so now you're with Zart." I felt my posture sink.

"Does it have to be Zart? Can't it be someone else?" I asked while trying to hide my disappointment and frustration. Alby shook his head.

"Sorry, I already told him that he's on. Why? Did somethin' happen?" Alby asked. I shook my head miserably and he nodded for me to follow him.

I quickly dropped off a stack of plates and cups to the Kitchens and then followed, waving a dramatic goodbye to my four table mates. They looked nervous for me as Alby lead me to Zart.

"Girl Greenie." Zart greeted coldly as Alby and I arrived. I sent him a fake smile which he didn't return. "I was going to get on your case about not finishing your work, but I heard that Newt officially excused you."

"Yeah, he did." I answered vaguely, not giving him the bait to start an argument. He just gave me a short glare and walked off towards an open area around a pile of bones, wood and other materials where a crowd was forming. The bonfire! I'd forgotten about it. I followed him eagerly into the swarm of people.

"Stay close. I am the one who gets yelled at if you start making drama." He instructed snidely. I sighed internally. He went off to join a crowd of boys and gave me an annoyed look when I tried to join the conversation.

I couldn't believe my luck. My first bonfire, the only time I was promised fun this month, and I was stuck with some sexist prick. I found a seat on a nearby log and let my hands hold up my head.

I watched for what seemed like hours as Zart drank, talked and laughed with his group of buddies. I tried getting up once to try to go find Newt, but Zart called me out and told me to sit back down. I wasn't in any mood for a fight, so I did.

Once the moon had almost reached the middle of the sky and the fire was practically dead, I felt someone sit down beside me. I was too tired to look up, my eyes trained on Zart, waiting for him to make a move to get up.

"I thought you said you were going to come see some of the fights tonight." A sunken, disappointed voice said to my right. I looked over, lighting up as I realized who it was.

"Gally?" My tone was too excited for my liking, "I—I tried to, I wanted to, but Zart was—he was just being a shuck-face." Gally's expression relaxed for a second at hearing I hadn't blown him off, then became hard again as he registered the last of what I'd said.

"What do you mean he was being a shuck-face?" Gally asked, some of his muscles tensing. His eyebrows furrowed in anger and confusion.

"He piled on the work all day in the Gardens. Now it's his shift with me and he won't let me leave to go anywhere, not even to bed." I made my tone light and joking, but Gally ignored it.

"Are you sure he was singling you out? Did he say anything specific?" He asked, his tone suddenly taking on a very serious, business-like edge.

"If you mean the sexist comments all day, then yes. Though, I'm pretty sure it got personal when he made me skip lunch break." I joked. Again, the humorous tone was overlooked.

"You know what, (Y/N), I think you're going to get to see me fight after all."