Flint and Steel: A Warren Worthington III Series

Chapter Seven: Last Trip Back

For a moment, you aren't aware of anything except for your own heartbeat. It's quiet here, quiet and dark, and you think you'd like nothing more than to stay here for a little while longer. Nothing is troubling you, you feel no pain. Then more sensations start trickling in at the back of your consciousness, and you begin to wake up. It takes you a little longer to be able to open your eyes, and when you do, it seems to take the same amount of willpower as lifting an impossible weight.

You manage to crack your eyelids open a little, glancing around in a haze of exhaustion and bewilderment. In a rush, you remember what happened to get you here- the fight on the rooftop, the fire destroying everything around you, the feeling of falling. How did you get out, though? You thought you were dead.

After a moment, you realize what- or who- saved you. You'd thought Warren would have left the building a long time ago (and you'd specifically told him to do so), but he's here with you instead. You don't know how long you've been unconscious, but he evidently had enough time to catch you while you were falling, get to safety, and find a place to hide while he waited for you to wake up.

Judging by the fact that the first light of dawn is starting to break through the sky, Warren must have been here a while. How long was he sitting like this, you lying against his chest, while you were inches from death? You thought he would have left you for good, especially considering what happened in the tunnel, but evidently not.

If it's early morning now, that must mean that you've been out for a long time. You should get going soon, because you only have so much time left before Trask's guards start combing the surrounding area and find you two. All the same, you don't really want to move from where you lie, your head tucked into the space just above his collarbone, his arms holding you in place. It almost feels like you're two puzzle pieces that should not be separated, and the thought of getting up and leaving this moment is not all that inviting.

All the same, the thought of getting caught and dragged back to Trask's laboratories is even less inviting, so you reluctantly force your eyes to open all the way and start to sit up. Instantly, you're hit by a mind-numbing wave of dizziness, but above that you can hear Warren's voice.

"Y/N, you're awake?" It surprises you for a moment, how relieved he sounds to see that you're alive. You slowly turn your head to see him looking at you like you're a miracle. You nod, tired, and he smiles. "Good, I was getting worried. I didn't know if you were waking up or not." You grin. "What, nervous that I'll die? I'm touched."

Warren laughs quietly, although his smile leaves him soon enough. "I'm serious, Y/N. I thought you were dead. I didn't know what to do. If I never got to say anything to you again, especially after-" His voice breaks off, and you look away. Somehow, talking about the way he'd reacted to your powers back in the tunnel feels wrong here, with you still so close to him that your shoulders bump against each other in the shelter of his metal wings.

So, despite wanting nothing more to stay here forever, either to fall asleep with the beat of his heart ringing in your ears again or to just talk in quiet voices until another day passes you by, you turn off your heart, just a little bit, and get up. Your limbs are stiff at first, and you nearly stumble until Warren's hands prop you up again. After that, it's even harder to let go, but you do.

You glance around, shading your eyes from the approaching sun with your hand. Warren found some place in the scrub and woods near the school to wait for you to wake up; although it was good for avoiding detection from the guards, the second you step out of the protective shade of the trees the soldiers will easily spot you. The only option you have is to walk until you find some easier way of getting out.

You and Warren walk in silence again, although this time, it doesn't press on you like it did in the tunnel. This time, it's a good sort of quiet, like you don't have to say a thing but it is alright. Eventually, the nerves start to set in again, especially when you start to hear the sounds of soldiers marching through the trees on the edge of the area. They're methodically combing the land for some sign of you, so you only have so much time before they find you.