[Xaden x Y/n] Love on the Parapet

Chapter 11

6 years ago

Y/n's pov

You open your eyes, the hazy sight becoming clearer as you adjust to the surrounding. Looking around, you see Imogen, Bodhi, Liam and Garrick around you.

'Y/n!' You hear Imogen yell, pulling you into her arms and you feel her tears smearing on your blanket over you. 'I thought you might...you might not make it.' She whispers, and you wince lifting your arm to pat your back.

'We all did. We were so scared you might never open your eyes.' Liam says, rubbing his nose as Garrick nod at you.

'Me too.' You reply, voice hoarse from disuse. 'Where's Xaden?' You ask, looking around past their faces. A tent, then. Wait... a military tent?

Shit.

'Where is he, Garrick?' You ask again, trying some force onto your voice. Imogen glances at him wearily, Liam fidgeting uncomfortably as Bodhi pats his back.

'They took him.' Garrick admits, and you feel the chills down your back.

'Why?' You whisper, lifting yourself up to sit despite the brittleness in your body. Bodhi shakes his head to Garrick, him hesitating to speak. 'Tell me, Garrick.' You say, looking down at the bruises covering your skin and mended cuts.

'It was for... the menders to mend you.' Garrick replies quietly, and you feel your gut clench. 'And to give all the rebel kids to get a chance at surviving.' He finishes, and you toss your blanket aside, you half rip open the tent and hurl your gut out.

Xaden.

Your best friend.

The one who takes care of everyone.

Going through the same thing as you just to save you. And everyone else too.

'Y/n!' You hear Liam call as you run out the tent, limping as you feel the pain linger on your still mending limbs. Whipping your head around, you look for Xaden through the burning city flames, the officers shouting at you to get back to the tent.

'Xaden!' You yell, before Garrick corners you, his hand over your mouth.

'You have to stay here, Y/n. We promised us Xaden to keep you safe. He'll come back soon, I promise.' He says, supporting your arms as you return to the tent. Your eyes prickle, the flame in your gut hotter than the flame burning home.

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Xaden's pov

'Hold on a little longer. We'll take a break soon and spend the night.' I tell Y/n on my back as we walk towards the foster home for rebel children that I managed to contact after days. She shifts on my back, careful not to damage my own wounds from the interrogation. They had kicked us out after Y/n had been mended and my interrogation was over, but Y/n was still to fragile to walk by herself from the fractured limbs.

'Want to switch, Xaden?' Garrick calls from ahead, him carrying most of the stuff we packed back in Aretia, and the younger ones holding some lighter items. We had to steal, or more like pick up canned food, wood, drinks, clothes or blankets littering the grounds of Aretia for the journey before leaving.

'It's okay.' I reply, glancing at Y/n and giving her a smile. She returns a wry one, eyes focused on the gravel below us.

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'Place her there.' Garrick tells me, pointing at the innermost corner of the makeshift wooden shelter we put together awkwardly in the middle of the forest. Y/n winces as she lays down, eyeing all of us wearily.

'Here.' Imogen hands her a breadroll and water, and I help Y/n to sit up to eat.

'You guys should just... go on without me. I can't walk, I can't help you build a shelter, or find food. But then I'm here taking the safest spot and the most food.' She says, only nursing the bread as she watches the rest of us share a breadroll.

'No.' I say, voice sounding rough. 'We stay together. You would have done the same for any of us.' I say again, Y/n turning silent looking around at all of us quietly eating our portion.

'Now you have to eat and rest to heal faster.' Garrick says, and Y/n finally takes the bread to her mouth and takes a bite.

Present

Y/n's pov

You look up at the sky, the nervous energy buzzing in the air as various dragons ready for bonding flying across the field.

Threshing has started.

'Move around! Find your dragon or get torched!' A third year cadet yells, and you take your eyes off the flying dragons, venturing into the woods. Turning around, you see Xaden's gaze on you, him silently wishing you luck as you leave.

To your right, a green dragon breathes fire to a cadet, and you try not to vomit as the guy screams along with the smell of flesh burning. The ash flies in the air, and you turn away to make your way further.

'Less competition, the better. Am I right, L/n?' You turn back, seeing Jack Barlowe watching you with a usual snigger on his face.

'I could wish the same on you.' You say, his group of idiots "ooo"ing. He flicks you off, and you roll your eyes at him before moving along. The orange scorpiontail stares at you from the corner between trees, but does not make any move. Its long tail swishes, before roaring withs piercing yellow eyes focused on you. You feel your pulse quicken, avoiding its eye contact while moving backwards. A drop of sweat rides the curve of your back as the orange scorpiontail rises to its feet, taking an earth thudding step forward.

'Shit.' You swear under your breath, the dragon clearly angry at whatever you did. Just as you take two steps back, it takes one large thud, its hot breath huffing into your face. You feel its gaze on you as it roars again inches away from you. You resist the urge to cover your ears at the earsplitting volume, trying not to shut your eyes and look weak.

Just as the orange scorpiontail open its jaw to breath fire, your vision turns red. You wince as you land on your back, a red daggertail in front of you, it roaring back at the orange dragon. Before the orange scorpiontail even shows its teeth, the red daggertail's jaw squeezes the orange scorpiontail's neck.

You duck as the red daggertail swishes its tail while shaking its head with orange's neck in its mouth, sinking its teeth.

'Hang in there, Cherry.'

Cherry?

You almost jump as you hear a warm feminine voice in your head, looking up at the red daggertail half tossing the orange dragon on the grass solely with the force of its teeth.

'I'm Hwad.'

The orange scorpiontail scurries away, the red daggertail turning around to stare down at you. You inch your gaze upward, the tall gigantic red dragon cocking its head slowly, following your movements.

'You're my rider.'