The drive back was silent. It was very unusual for the two to not be talking but this silent wasn't uncomfortable it rather felt much needed than anticipated.

Gally was having a little but of trouble while driving with his bruised hands but he had somehow managed because he knew [y/n] couldn't yet properly drive.

The only thing that ran through his mind was if he had been too harsh on her or maybe if he had hurt her just the slightest.

He couldn't bare that. He would want to be the last person who ended up hurting her.

He was tired of the silence though. He needed it but he had to hear her voice, he wanted her to look at him after she asked something and waited for a reply.

He glanced at her to see her looking sideways, her arms crossed over her chest and her brows furrowed as she continued looking forward.

The truth was she wasn't looking at anything in particular, she was just staring out in the distance, zoned out. She wasn't thinking anything either.

She was just sitting.

Gally licked his dry and chapped lips, opening his mouth to finally break the silence but went against it, deciding that maybe for once it's okay to not talk and just enjoy her quiet company.

---------

The warm water ran down his body as he washed away the dirt and blood. His knuckles stinged a little from the water as they had cut opened from the impact of the man's jaw.

His muscles felt relaxed under the warm water though he missed the comfort of her arms. This didn't feel the same.

He ran his hands through his blonde hair. He really did need a haircut...

Gally wondered if she still remembered about what she said in the field that day because he would soon need a raincheck on that haircut.

He remembered how she had put her hand on the side of his neck and played with hair on the back of his neck.

She was so busy looking in his eyes that she had missed the fainted blush that former on atop of Gally's cheeks.

And maybe he as well was so mesmerised, looking in her beautiful [h/c] eyes that he had almost missed the feeling in his chest.

He didn't know what that feeling was but it happened that once. Her innocent touch had made his heart flutter and the fact that their faces were really close.

He smiled at the thought of her. He loved to see her smile. Seeing her smile always made him feel better and he would do anything to see her smile at the end of the day.

There it was again... the feeling in his chest. It felt good..

Too good...

----------

Gally walked out of the bathroom and his eyes fell on [y/n] who was sitting on his bed and reading a book.

She looked up when she felt his presence. She smiled at him and then put her book down and walked over to him.

"Your hair is wet.. how about that haircut I promised?" she asked in a low voice as she ran her hand through his hair.
Gally closed his eyes, enjoying her touch.

That's when she really noticed the bruises one his face and a few cuts. He had a busted lip. She looked down and saw that his knuckles were bruised as well.

He hummed before he grabbed a stool and sat down. He wrapped his towel around his shoulders and waited for her to get the right stuff.

"How about we bandage you up first." [y/n] asked although it was more of a statement. Gally didn't respond knowing he didn't have to.

[Y/n] rummaged through the drawers that had a few first aid things that they had been supplied with.

[Y/n] grabbed two bandages, some guaze, cotton and some rubbing alcohol. She knew he had showered but she just wanted to be on the safe side with him.

She sat down on her bed, since that's where Gally was sitting with his stool. She put a piece of cotton on top of the bottle of alcohol before turning it around and letting the gotten dampen with the alcohol.

"Might sting." she warned before she dabbed it lightly on his jaw. When she realised that his face didn't even twitch, she dabbed a little harder knowing it was all good.

She held one side of his jaw while she was working was on the other side.

Gally's eyes never left her as she worked. The fact that she was so concentrated made him think how much she cared.
And there it was again, the feeling in his chest. The warmth spreaded through his chest as he looked at her.

When she was done she grabbed a bandage and gently put it over the cut, since it was a small one. She then grabbed his hand and wrapped the gauze around his knuckles.

She looked up, her eyes meeting his. She didn't know how but she mustered up the courage and brought his knuckles up to her lips and placed a small kiss and then looked into his eyes.

"Don't ever hurt yourself again for me." she stated and stood up before Gally could have a chance to reply.

[Y/n] lifted her mattress and grabbed the pair of scissors she had been able to slip in for herself last week. She grabbed a hairbrush and then put everything down on her bed and went behind him. She ran her fingers through his hair.

Gally wanted to say against it but what could be the right thing to say? He would walk through hell if it meant he got see her at the end of the day, waiting for him...

"What do you want?" [y/n] asked as she brushed his hair and straightened his hair. "I don't know? I mean, your the stylist.." [y/n] chuckled. His hair was a lot less wet now.

"Alright, let's start with just cutting edges from the back first." her fingers gripped the ends of his dirty blonde hair between them before running the scissors through them.

"You know.. you never told me about your life in the glade.. I'm curious. I could only see through those screens and..." [y/n] trailed off knowing which word would be appropriate enough to put in that place.

There was a while of silence before Gally sighed and then spoke up, "It was nice... I guess.. and you know we just worked all day and all Alby asked of us was to do our part." he rambled not thinking [y/n] didn't know Alby.

"I mean, he didn't deserve to die! Honestly I did! For the way I treated Thomas and the other boys sometimes, I-I mean for fuck's sake I k-killed Chuck... I killed an innocent young boy..."

[Y/n] dropped the scissors and quickly pulled him in an embrace. His hands wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly and pulling her as close as he can as he rested his head on her chest.

She tilted her head and rested her cheek on top of his head. Rubbing his back and running her fingers through his hair. Trying to be as comforting as she could be.

"Shh.. it wasn't your fault.. none of it was.." she whispered, tears threatening to spill from her own eyes but she kept up her guard knowing Gally needed her right now.

She placed several kisses on top of his head. She had- she needed to be strong for him. To see him in his most vulnerable state was heartbreaking for her.

Hot tears uncontrollably spilled from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks, staining her shirt but she didn't mind at all.

She let him cry. She wanted him to let it all out once and for all. Once Gally had calmed down a little and his cries had turned into soft sobs, [y/n] cupped his face before moving slightly to see if he was ready to let go.

"You know.. I-I uhm I didn't mean to make you upset by asking that question. I just uh I thought that maybe you know y-you would tell me about the good times."

[Y/n] declared before Gally removed his head from her chest and slightly looked up at her. [Y/n] instantly wiped the tears from his face and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"It wasn't your fault. You should know that. You were being controlled by those morons and you know what's important, I-I mean its not important but the thing is that you feel guilty for something you were forced to do while you weren't in the right state of mind and if anything you deserve to live a life better than this..."

"[Y/n] you don't know the things I did.. I was nothing but a monster to majority of the boys in the glade."

"No, you weren't. You maybe just didn't have a great way of expressing yourself. Come on, tell me.. did you ever mean harm to any of the boys?"

"No.. I just wanted them to work hard. To follow the rules and I didn't want everything that we did for the glade go to waste. It was out home and I wanted to take care of it.."

A frown threatened to appear on [y/n]'s lips at the mention of the home. Tears filled her eyes but she bit her lips and nodded, resisting the urge to just cry.

She was glad that there was somewhere in this cruel world he had felt at home and had felt safe.

Her, on the other hand.. she had never felt at home anywhere.. she had always felt like an outsider, an outcast and for a while she had just told herself that home didn't exist.

That home was just something that was labeled to a place where you can feel safe but when she didn't feel safe anywhere, did home even exist?

She did feel safe with Gally. She knew he would protect her at all costs because now she knew that he cared and he cared deeply.

He was lonely just like her and maybe they were meant to be. Not lovers but maybe at least friends. To have a close bond.

And maybe for her home wasn't supposed to be a place but rather a person..