Going back

25|| Edge

A/N: Here's chapter 25. Enjoy, people.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Iris hissed, shuffling away from the edge.

Alex lazily draped one leg over the other and smirked. "Same thing as you I suppose- that is, if you're also here to kidnap—"

Iris lunged and clamped her hand over his mouth, looking around as her voice dropped to a frantic whisper. "Oi, don't say their name out loud! There could be so much security here that would just pop up at their name."

He shot her a flat look and gestured around as if to say what security? But Iris had been on one too many missions that failed- or almost failed- due to complacency and there was no way she'd let the traitor mess this up for her.

"Just... stay quiet," she growled and shoved him back, using the momentum to push herself upwards.

The building she wanted to go to was a few roofs over and she sprinted, trying to quell her fear as she approached the edge and the straight, dark drop at the bottom.

Her foot slipped over the edge and she lunged, fingers outstretched and just barely managing to grip onto the ledge of the opposite building. Heart thundering in her chest like it wanted to break free from her rib cage, Iris pulled herself up and collapsed on the roof.

"Impressive," Alex mocked in front of her and she nearly jumped back.

Iris scowled. "How did you get over so fast?"

He pointed across to a smaller gap further down, which would have required barely more than a leap, with a grin. Clearly, he expected Iris to flush from embarrassment, but she didn't want to show such weakness to an enemy.

The duo bickered as they ran on, Iris snapping scathing remarks to a seemingly-affronted Alex. Really, he was trying to hold back a smile and contain the explosive happiness he felt at talking with his best friend- he didn't want her to throw him off a building. Again.

Finally, they quieted, standing on the edge of a precariously tilted building and looking down at an alleyway cloaked in shadows so thick it was impossible to see what was below. Faint groans and grumbles spooled from the darkness- the cries of the damned and unlucky.

Iris inhaled shakily and wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, refusing to meet Alex's gaze burning into the side of her head. I refuse to show my weakness to him again.

She crouched down and calculated the distance between her and the hopefully sturdy roof halfway down the building. If I do a tuck roll to absorb the impact—

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and pulled her back.

"You're not seriously considering the jump are you?" Alex hissed with a venomous glare that only fielded her rage. "I refuse to be the guy who tells Harry DeLano that his precious daughter broke her bones by being a daredevil!"

"And no one is asking you do." Iris shrugged off his arm. "Do you have any brilliant ideas o' wise one?"

"Actually, I do. I suggest we break through one of the windows, stealthily exit the building, and then climb down the, what, three flight of stairs?"

"I see, so your clever little plan is to get us arrested for breaking and entering. Well, I would have the joy of making bail before you and watching you wither away in a tiny cell."

Alex scowled. "It's better than ending up in a hospital bed! At least you'll be able to run away from DeLano's nagging once he finds out what you've done."

Iris stared at him for a moment.

"Fair point," she conceded. She glanced down and spotted a window ledge quite a few feet down, but it was the closest one. "How do we get there?"

"You jump and I'll follow."

"Tell me you're joking."

"Only partially." Alex dodged her fist. "Okay, okay I have a better idea, promise! I'll scale down to that ledge and break into the window- security's so shit here so I'm sure it'll be easy. Then, you follow afterwards and I'll pull you in."

"Why do you get to go first?"

"Because I'm slightly taller than you so I have a higher chance of my feet actually touching the sill."

"Don't make me push you, Al," Iris warned, the nickname slipping out before she could stop it.

A terse silence hung between them as a frigid wind blew, rattling the old tin roofs from somewhere down below. Iris hugged arms to her chest and Alex turned away, a hint of redness creeping up his neck and colouring his ears.

"So, uh, I'll get going now." His voice was too high-pitched and he cleared his throat then spoke in a tone much too low. "Shout if I'm about to die."

He shimmied half off the edge then twisted his body and, after getting a good grip on the thankfully dry sewer pipe, dropped down. It creaked under his weight like old bones in a bitter winter wind and Alex fumbled, almost losing his hold.  Iris refused to believe that her heart swooped out of concern- no, she was just worried that the noise of his body splattering on the cement ground would attract unwanted attention. Yes, that was it.

Finally, Alex reached the casement. He pressed against the glass and the darkness shrouded him from sight. Iris craned her neck as far as possible, almost jumping off the roof when she heard a loud groan and swearing from down below. What the hell is going on?

"Rainbow!" Alex whispered. "It opens out!"

"What?"

"The window! It opens outwards- how am I supposed to get in now?"

"Just- I don't know! Shuffle around it and ease your way in."

There was silence, more creaking, then a soft grunt followed by the all-clear signal.

Iris took a deep breath and followed his movements, firmly cementing the idea of keeping her eyes up and reached the ledge. Fortunately, her feet were firmly planted on the ledge and she let go of the pipe.

As if the universe was sticking its colossal middle finger in her face, her foots slipped and she leaned back—

Only to be yanked forward into a disgustingly familiar embrace. Alex hooked an arm around her waist and gently held the back of her head with his palm, forcing her to grip his shoulders as the window shutters slammed shut behind her.

"It seems I've saved your life twice now, huh?" Although his words were calm, tone was high and scratchy- like he'd been preparing himself to scream.

His erratic heartbeat in her ears, Iris allowed herself precisely three deep breaths before trying to push him away with a snarky comment on her lips.

"Don't move." His low voice brushed past her ears and she stilled with his fingers lightly pressed against her mouth. "I can hear footsteps coming this way."

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I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)