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37. ♥︎ ₊˚༢࿐

( smut )

For a city as big as it was, Mae felt like it was a little too crowded. Her shoulders kept bumping into others, her feet stumbling as she tried to keep up with everyone. Some wore masks, others kept their heads down, away from the soldiers that would stop anyone just for a cough.

Mae walked beside Gally, her eyes scanning anything and everything. It's overwhelming, like a whole new world compared to the outside where people killed each other for scraps.

"Curfew?" Mae repeats, hearing the loudspeakers repeat the same monotone warning.

Gally nods, "Yup, and faction checks. All you gotta do is sneeze in here and you'll get kicked out. It's the, uh, price of paradise I guess."

She scoffs, "Paradise my ass."

Gally grins at her words.

"We're a long way from the Glade." Newt takes a breath.

"And to think, while we were in our own little world. . .this was here, the whole time." Mae added bitterly.

"We better get off the streets," Gally warns them. "I know it's hard, but act like you've seen it before."

Mae was surprised they hadn't been stopped already. They looked too out of place. Their clothes dirty, guns and weapons on their hips. Compared to the business suits and dressed, her group stood out like a sore thumb.

When they run across the street; backs pressed against a building, Mae felt the need to hold her breath.

"They've upped security. I'm guessing you shanks have something to do with that." Gally teased them.

"As of recent, let's just say where we go, trouble follows." Mae smiled back.

Gally looked down at her, his eyes holding the kind of spark that showed just how strong his love was, "You've always been like that, flower." He mutters to her.

Mae's ears redden at his comment.

After dodging patrol, he led Mae, Thomas and Newt over a bridge. When they made it to the end; unfinished and blocked off by a tall building.

Gally holds his hands out, helping Newt over the wall. He holds his hands out for Thomas, who didn't even look at him.

"I got it." Thomas comments, lifting himself up and over the wall.

Gally's lips pinch together at Thomas' attitude, pointing a thumb at where he once stood, giving Mae a look that screamed 'is he serious?'

Mae accepts Gally's help, using his hands as a footing before throwing herself over the wall. She stands at the ledge, holding her hand out for him to grab.

Gally gladly takes it, underestimating Mae's newfound strength. He yelps, stumbling into her.

Mae grabs him at the waist to steady him, noticing the blush that grew along his neck and face.

"Thanks." He nods, not letting her go.

"Any time." She replied softly.

Their eyes lock for longer than a minute, and if it wasn't for the sound of Newt telling them to hurry up, who knows how long they would've been there soaking up each other's presence.

"There it is." Gally points across the way to a tall building, "If WICKED's got Minho, that's where they'll be keeping him."

He pulls out a telescope from his bag, looking into it to make sure it was properly adjusted.

"Lawerence has been trying to find a way in for years." He explains, "Place is crawling with soldiers. They got surveillance everywhere. Scanners on every floor."

"Sounds like a bloody fortress." Newt sighed.

"Yeah, I thought you said you had a way in." Thomas adds on, his tone laced with annoyance.

"I might," Gally corrects.

"Might? What the hell do you mean 'might'? Gally, you said you could get us in there, we're following your lead here. We trusted you; we don't have to do that!" Thomas gets riled.

"We knew it wouldn't be easy, Thomas." Mae defends.

Gally raises a hand, "Alright, let's get a few things straight first otherwise there's no point in going any further."

He sized Thomas up, but he didn't appear as hotheaded as he once was. He simply wanted to state some boundaries, wanting to get his side of the story across.

Gally looks at his hands for a moment, his expression holding more emotion than Thomas had ever seen.

"Look, I know what I did. Okay? I may not remember, but I know. I see Chuck's face every time I close my eyes. I see Mae, beggin' me not to hurt anyone. Her cries never leave my head. . ."

Thomas falters, Mae's eyes watered. This was the moment, the moment she thought would never come. Gally, showing to people what he shows her behind closed doors. Taking on the responsibility.

They really were growing up, weren't they?

"Listen, we don't have to be friends." Gally tells them strongly, "And I sure as hell don't expect Mae to ever look my way when this is over after all I did. I'm not asking for anyone's forgiveness; I'm asking that we put it behind us because we all want the same thing."

"Gally. . ." Mae mutters out, her hand itching to reach over and squeeze his arm in some type of comfort.

Gally locks eyes with her, his gaze guarded. He was scared of getting hurt, scared of facing the reality of what they could've been if he hadn't been so stubborn.

"After this, we can all go our separate ways. Until then, one of this works if we don't trust each other."

"Okay." Thomas nods gently, glancing back at Newt who had already seem to forgive Gally long before they got here.

Thomas then looks at Mae, who was staring at Gally with red eyes as Gally stared at the moon to avoid her hurt gaze.

When Mae noticed Thomas staring, she turned to him and gave a strong nod.

"What do you got?" Thomas clears his throat, jumping to action.

"Take a look." Gally steps back from the telescope, motioning for Thomas to take over.

"Do you have the building mapped out?" Mae turns to Gally, wiping a tear away but keeping her expression strong as she crossed her arms over her chest in comfort.

Gally smiles gently, finishing in his backpack for his journal, "You know me well." He tells her, flipping a few pages before handing her the leather.

Mae nods at the structure, holding the drawing out beside the building. Just like she suspected, even the windows matched out. On the side was a tally of how many floors, how many windows and doors.

She can recall a time in the Glade where Gally spent hours sketching out new structures for the Gladers; as well as the little hut he made for her on the outskirts of the field.

"These are good," She mutters the praise. The wind flicks the pages to the right; Mae catches the page with her thumb.

Her eyes soften, slowly lowering the book closer to her face as she stared back at a sketch of her own eyes. Her face carried every little detail, her lace that once rested on her neck, the flowers she wore in her hair.

"Just. . .didn't want to forget what you looked like," Gally dismissed, grabbing the journal back and snapping it shut with a short chuckle, "I almost did for a bit there, as the days went."

Mae nodded mutely, not able to form the words she wanted to say. She could understand it, in fact she wished she had the skill. She can't remember what Nick looked like, or Ben. Or even Alby.

Mae turns to watch Thomas' expression, noticing the way his jaw clenched at whatever he was seeing. In that moment, Mae knew. There was only one person that could cause a reaction like that and it made her fist ball into her side.

"I said I had a way in, I didn't say you were gonna like it." Gally finished.

"It's Theresa, isn't it." Mae firms, peeking into the scope herself.

Theresa was pacing around, in a lab coat at the top floor. Mae wanted to shoot her with a sniper from here, watching as the girl she once considered a good friend wear the same clothes of the people who killed hundreds of children.

"No, no way!" Mae turns to Thomas.

"Thought you knew this wouldn't be easy." Newt teased humorlessly.

Gally raised an eyebrow, "Bad blood between you two?"

"She's the reason I was in that box in the first place," Mae informs him, "She betrayed The Right Arm to WICKED, she's the reason Minho was captured in the first place. And Teddy!"

Gally pinched his lips together, watching Mae express the kind of hatred she'd only ever show to Winston for slaughtering the pigs.

"We'll deal with her after then." Gally says strongly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Mae falters at his validation, nodding immediately.

"Come on, we should go back." Newt suggests, "Ask everyone else what they think."

At that, Thomas nods, trying to collect himself from the rage he shared with Mae, "Good idea."

They pack up, running down the staircase.

-

The group sat around the War room in Lawerence building, maps and drawings scattered around every corner, months of plans to be used against WICKED. Around the table was Gally beside Mae, Teddy, and Peter, who sat next to Brenda. Jorge was next to Newt and Frypan, as Thomas paced back and forth.

Mae ran a hand through her hair, exhaling out of complete frustration when Thomas continued to be difficult.

"No. There's gotta be another way." Thomas frowns.

Gally slaps his hand on the map, "Like what? You've seen the building. She is our only way in."

"You really think she's gonna help us?" Thomas defends.

Gally scoffs, "I don't plan on asking for her permission."

"I see why you like him." Peter whispers to her.

Mae's chest goes warm, blushing at Gally's authority.

Gally winks at her.

Brenda raised a hand, "Am I missing something here? This is the same bitch who betrayed us, correct? Same dick?"

Gally points in her direction, "I like her."

Mae throws an arm over Brenda's shoulder, "Me too."

"Theresa deserves it!" Teddy shouts, pointing to a healed bruise on her cheek, "Look at my face! That wouldn't have happened if she wasn't a WICKED nazi!"

Peter points at his brother with a nod, "I have no remorse for kidnapping."

Brenda frowns at Thomas' hesitation, "What's going on?"

Newt, who had been silent the whole debate, looked more than ready to scream. "What? You're afraid your little girlfriend is gonna get hurt? Had Mae but that's not enough for you, aye Tommy?"

"Had?" Gally raised an eyebrow.

Teddy waves the concept away, looking at Gally, "Don't worry we've been team you the whole time."

"This obviously hasn't been just about rescuing Minho." Newt continued to accuse, "Has it?"

"Newt, what are you talking about?" Thomas frowns.

"Theresa," Newt gets in his face, "She's the reason that Minho's even missing in the first place. Now we finally have an opportunity to get him back, and what? You don't want to because of her?" He says rawly, backing Thomas up against a wall.

"Newt!" Mae snaps, raising to her feet.

"Because you still care about her, don't you?" Newt snaps, "That's why you haven't said anything because you know Mae wants her dead! Just admit it!"

"Newt. . ."

"Don't lie to me!" He slammed Thomas into the wall. "Don't lie to me!"

Mae rushed forward, grabbing Newt by the shoulder and prying him off Thomas with a harsh shove, "Bloody compose yourself, will you?!" She yells at him.

Newt falters, "I'm sorry. . ." He runs out of the room, clenching his forearm.

"That went well," Teddy leans into his chair, shaking her head.

"I might have a counter idea," Mae admits.

"We're all ears," Jorge groans.

"You're not going to like it." She continues.

"More than we already don't like this one?" Peter mused.

"Worse."

Gally frowns, "Tell us."

Mae glanced down at her shoes, "My mother said something before she injected me with that memory serum. She said that once I got my memories back, I'd understand her. She thought that, like Theresa, I'd come back. So, what if we made that a reality?"

Gally shifts uncomfortable, "I don't like where this is going."

"It'll be easier to not suspect Theresa being missing, if she was preoccupied with me. I could walk inside that building without a problem. I can be your inside man."

"No." They chorused.

"That's a horrible idea!" Frypan shakes his head.

"Maybe not," Jorge broke through the noise, "If she plays the part well, we could be inside WICKED before sunrise. Our own trojan horse."

Mae motions to Jorge in relief, "I could figure out exactly where Minho is being kept, and if Theresa fails to get you inside, then this is the perfect plan B."

"Besides the fact that you have the inexplicable urge to stab your mother in the throat," Peter reminded her. "Can you even be in the same room as her?"

"I need this guys," Mae admits, "I need answers to questions I know I won't get to ask if we just go in guns blazing. If I can help us truly secure this, then you have to let me try."

"Or they could capture you." Teddy says, "You'd be handing yourself over."

"Well, we're already breaking in to save Minho, so it's not like I'm out of your way." Mae smiled.

"We'll think it over." Thomas nods.

"Um, it's thought over, and no." Gally raised a hand, "Am I the only one with common sense right now?"

"Gally, you can't think with your heart on this." Mae said strongly, "You have no idea how many deep cover missions I've been on in the last few months. This is no different."

Brenda nods, finally understanding, "It's true, if anyone can do it, it's Mae. I'd feel better knowing we have a fallback plan."

Thomas clenched his jaw, "I'm going to check on Newt."

"I'll come with you," Mae follows, "In case he pushes you down a staircase."

Newt was found at the ledge of the roof, his feet dangled out as he stared into the last city.

Mae moves past Thomas and plops down at his side, resting her head on his shoulder. With a deep sigh, Newt rests his head on top of hers.

"We're getting close," Mae reassures, "Don't lose your head now."

Newt gives a throaty chuckle. When he noticed Thomas hovering, he gave him a gentle smile, "Sorry about that back there." He glanced between them before rolling up his sleeve, "I guess I can't hide this anymore."

The veins on Newt's arm popped in a sickly black color, bleeding through. Those same veins that once wrapped up Winston's stomach, the same veins that once shined on Brenda's leg.

Mae wanted to cry at the sight, but for the first time in a long-time optimism became her denial. "Brenda was cured, you can be too. We just need to figure out what to do."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Thomas mutters sadly.

"I didn't think it'd make any difference," Newt admits, "All I know is WICKED must've put me in that Maze for a reason. Maybe it was literally so they can tell the difference between immunes like you two and people like me."

Thomas licked his lips in contemplation, "Mae's right. You know we can still fix this, Newt. Okay? We can."

"Don't worry about me," Newt dismissed, "This is about Minho. Now he needs us. So, if there's even the slightest chance that we can save him, we can get him out of there, then we have to take that. No matter what the cost."

Mae grabs his wrist strongly, forcing Newt to look at her, "It would be worth nothing to Minho, being saved only to live the rest of his life without you. This is about both of you, Newt. You are not the cost to saving the world. I won't allow it."

Newt rests a hand on top of hers, squeezing it, "Mae, if I could live life through your eyes maybe I could believe that. But we both know how this ends for me."

Mae drops her head into his chest, a sob bubbling up at his words. Newt looked to Thomas, telling his best friend with his eyes that he better take care of his sister when he's gone.

"Tommy. . .have I ever told you about my leg?" Newt asked him. Thomas sat closer. "It was way back in the Maze. Maybe a month or two before Mae came up from the box. I'd just come up the box myself, didn't know where I was, didn't know who I was. Even with all my memories gone, I could still feel like something's missing."

Mae is taken back to the field of poppies in the Maze, hours after her attempt. Newt had plopped down beside her after a long day, and shared this very secret that bonded them to this day. Unhinged club, party of two.

"I felt empty," Newt's voice broke as he continued, "I just couldn't handle that. I couldn't take it. So, one morning, I got up early, and I snuck out into the Maze. I went out and found the tallest wall I could, and I climbed up there and I...I jumped off it. 'Course I got tangled up in that ivy like the proper shank I am. Snapped my leg in three different places; landed hard on the floor. I thought that was it. Then Minho found me."

Newt's smile lingers, his eyes distant in the memory, "Somehow," He chuckled, "He picked me up and took me back to the Glade. And we never told anyone the truth about what happened. He saved me, he gave me a second chance and I've been in love with the idiot ever since. I would've never met Mae."

Mae smiled softly, "A few months later Minho did the same for me. He saved my life without a second thought."

"He needs us," Newt repeats in a whisper.

"It's our turn to save him," Mae nods strongly, "Then we'll save you."

Thomas gets to his feet, "Come on, I want to get this plan together sooner than later."

Mae holds out her hand for Newt, lifting him onto his feet. As Thomas walks inside, Mae stops Newt.

"I won't let you die," She vows. She never seemed more determined about anything, "You deserve a good ending. I'll make sure you get it."

Newt placed a hand on her shoulder, "Just don't go sacrificing yours."

-

( warning here )

By nightfall, the Gladers had constructed their game plan. After a unanimous vote, it was agreed that Theresa would be captured and taken out of the Last City. Once Theresa agrees to their terms, Mae would sneak into the Last City alone.

Much to Gally's arguing.

She would walk into the WICKED building, claiming that her memories returning made her have a change of heart. She would pin-point Minho's location, and distract Ava from ever finding out they were sneaking in.

Maybe even finding vials of tested serums to last Newt until the end of this War.

Mae would be wired, she would have a walkie-talkie, and one of Lawerence's old chips that showed the Gladers her location.

From there, it was smooth sailing to the Safe Haven.

Hopefully.

Mae is cleaning a pistol when Gally knocks on the door, poking his head in. His gaze lingers on her for a moment, trying to push the words out of his throat.

"Are you done staring?" Mae smiled.

"We're almost ready," He tells her, "Thomas, Peter and I will go into the city and get Theresa."

"Make sure to bring duct tape, she's a screamer." Is all Mae replied with.

Gally chuckles, "I'll keep that in mind."

He goes to leave, but Mae reaches out and grabs his sleeve, pulling him back inside the room. Gally's breath hitched at her boldness, looking down at her with hopeful eyes.

"What's-"

"Do you really want to go our separate ways when this ends?" Mae asked softly, finding the courage boiling in her chest, making her stand straighter.

Gally blinked a few times, "Uh. I guess that just depends if we make it to the end, right?"

"I don't want to." She immediately cuts off before he could finish, "I don't want to go our separate ways, I just got you back. You're alive, in front of me. I can't just pretend like I never knew. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Gally softens, his hands brushing up her arms, his chest pressed against her, "It means everything." Gally admits.

His fingers hovered along Mae's collarbone, fishing the rope that held his ring around her neck, the white pebble the only piece left of the Glade. He lets out a shaky breath, "I told you when this was over, that I was gonna marry you." He pulls the rope off her neck, squeezing it in his fist, "I intend to keep my promise."

With that, he reached into his back pocket. The ring he pulls out is plated gold, little diamonds at the center. He'd stolen it from an old outlet mall in the city. Mae gasps, her hands covering her mouth as she looked between Gally and the real ring between his fingers.

Gally blushed, "We'll have a dog, named Oregano or Fred, and we can have a hut somewhere on a beach, and-"

"Yes." Mae said breathlessly, grabbing his face and slamming her lips against his needily, one arm wrapping around his neck to tug him down. "I love you." She says in a muffle.

Gally pulls back just slightly, trying to catch his breath, "Say that again."

"I love you, Gally." Mae repeats tenderly, "I love-"

Gally's hand fists through her hair, tugging her back into the kiss. His legs backing her up against the desk, roaming the skin of her torso.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you." He says through kisses.

Mae laughs, "For saying yes?"

He pulls back slightly, a grin forming on his puffed lips, "For surviving."

"Suppose I have myself to thank for that," She teased, "And maybe you a tad bit."

"Oh, just a tad?" He mocks her. His eyes flash with desire as he leaned forward, "You've kissed him, haven't you."

Caught off guard, Mae goes red; finding it in herself to be honest, "I-, yes- I did."

Gally grinned against her mouth, his hands running up her thighs as he did "But you thought of me, didn't you. When he touched you, it was me."

Mae shivers at the feeling, her head falling back just enough for Gally to kiss up her neck, leaving little knicks as he goes. "Yes."

Gally's gives a smug laugh, the rumble vibrating against her skin, "Sounds like I'm your Keeper after all."

Mae couldn't take it anymore. She used her finger to push his chin up, locking him in a kiss before walking him over to the bedside, cradling his head when she used all her body weight to lay on top of him.

Her hands brushed up to intertwine their fingers over his head. Gally makes a noise of surprise, before sitting up just enough to pull off his shirt. Immediately removing hers seconds after, he throws it on the floor before undoing the button on her jeans.

"Can I touch you?" He whispers, his hands hovering over the skin above the blue cotton.

Mae utters the consent against his neck and Gally eagerly rubs against the gentle nerve with a delicate hand. Her moan was covered by his other hand, flipping her over so her back was on the wool before resting it on her collar bone.

"Be quiet, flower." He whispers, not hiding the grin on his face. "Might scar, Fry, again."

Mae blushed at his teasing, hiding her face at the thought.

"No." He moved her hands away with only one of his own, pulling them above her head, "I just got you back, I want to see your face."

She heats up, her body pushing against his as he continued to create a euphoric friction between them. His head pressed into hers, her soft whimpers alone making his head spin, wanting to burn it to memory.

"I don't want to sound spoiled, but we're on a time crunch." Mae grins, breaking her hands free and flipping Gally onto his back, his hand slipping from heaven as she does.

Mae removed her pants; then tugged his down to his ankle before climbing on top of him.

"I should let you lead more often."

"You'd be surprised what gets done when you do." Mae banters.

Gally gives out the most adorable noise Mae had ever heard when she touched him in the right spot, guiding it through the arousal he left her in before pushing her hips down. He moans, sitting up rigid to grab her at the waist; knuckled digging in.

"Thought you wanted quiet." Mae teased.

"Don't get mouthy with me." He mutters against her neck, feeling her hips move in just the right patterns.

What felt like hours was only minutes on the clock, and Gally wanted to stay in the moment forever. In that moment, they forgot about a War, they forgot about the mission that these young adults were burdened to complete. No cages, no trials.

Just them, free in a bubble on pure undivided love and passion.

Mae gave a shuttered breath, feeling the pressure snap as she pressing her temple into Gally's, falling into his chest while his whole body shook. He tries to calm the adrenaline in his veins.

"God that's so much better than reliving it from memory." Gally admits shamelessly.

Mae laughs, "Sounds like I never left your head."

"Not once."

A knock on the door sends them both jumping apart, so used to the idea of getting caught by Alby and his 'no room' rule.

"I thought Minho being captured would've stopped those interruptions." Gally grumbles out.

"Come on, we gotta moveee!" Peter rapidly taps the door.

"Minho and Peter are cut from the same cloth," Mae winced, a laugh bubbling up.

Gally stands, messily putting on his clothes, "Give me a second!" He bellows, "You know I'd hate leaving you like. . ." He motions to her naked form, giving a groan of resentment at the thought of leaving, "Like a damn goddess, but, uh-"

"We have to save the world?" Mae finished with a suggesting shrug.

"I better see that ring around your neck when I come back!" Was the last thing he said before rushing forward to peck her on the lips, before moving out the door.

Mae flops back on the wool with a content shy. Her fingers brush against her lips, unable to stop the wide smile on them. The first genuine smile she's given since finding Teddy.

Everything was clicking into place.

( see how i waited until almost the end to give y'all the smut you wanted? very author-like, very demure )

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