Overtime

twenty-six ✧ || pristine

"Where did Aubrey run off to?"

The Professor looked up given Jay's question, his attention detaching from his monitors. At the other end of the room he sat, tossing a bouncy ball back between him and his brother. Jay's gaze lingered against Colten, assuming he — above everyone — would have the answer.

"She's missing?" The Professor questioned, a rare sighting of concern fluttering.

Colten shrugged, a pleasant smile on his lips. The hand that held a cigarette to his mouth fell, shoving the object in his pocket before pushing himself off of the wall. "She's probably fine," he claimed, starting for the door. "She likes sitting outside when she wants to think. I'll track her down."

The Professor blinked, brows pressed, but forced his attention back to his monitors. After all, he felt as if he lost the right to feel concerned for her well being. He had put her through so much pain that he lost the right to care. He was too late to.

Finally, he was seeing the teens for what they were — people. Here they were in jeans and sweatpants instead of mandated uniforms and training suits. They were individuals opposed to parts of a manufactured collective. He had taken away the experiences that now caused them to thrive. He was in no position to interfere. Not anymore.

Colten, clad in blue jeans and a grey long sleeve, waved. Dustin was the only one to respond with one. Jay and Noah were too focused with their game, and Raymond had himself nose-deep in one of The Professor's computer software textbooks.

With nothing more than a silent nod to The Professor, the male started up the stairs and vanished to find their teammate. It didn't take him long to get where he was going. After all, he knew exactly where she was going to be.

Sure enough, upon hitting the top of the stairs and turning left, he saw her sitting in the courtyard, head turned to the sky, lost in the clouds and fading sun. She had her oxygen tank propped against her leg, the tube wrapping around her ears and settling into her nose. She was so lost in her thoughts that until the door clicked shut, Colten's presence now with her, did she rip her stare from the sky.

Colten smiled, feeling the calm of her gaze meet his. "Hey Aub,"

She smiled back, hearing his voice kiss her ears. Her smile seemed more genuine, more real, as if somewhere in there she held real joy. "Hey Snow,"

Colten chuckled, trotting a few paces before slowing to a walk. "Are you ever going to call me anything else?"

The brunette smirked, watching as he drew closer. "Doubt it."

Taking a seat beside her on one of the courtyard's rusty green benches, he was finally able to take her all in. She wore sweatpants — one size too big given the way they hung over her ankles — and a red sweatshirt she had been given earlier in their mission. Through its neckline, Colten could see the tip of her bandage peeking through, her the fabric shielding the wound from the outside world. That sight was only for her and The Professor.

He was able to get a better look at her now that they were side-by-side. He could study her paling face and her flushed cheeks. He could hear the whirring of air pumping through plastic, and the brushing of her fingers against metal. He was able to absorb her gaze and see how she actually felt.

"My name is officially Colten now, you know." He responded cheekily. Noting the way her smirk peaked, he knew this was known. "Just like how your name is officially Aubrey."

"To me you'll always be Snow." She teased, her gaze retreating to the courtyard floor, watching the brown fall leaves dance along untrimmed grass.

"Why's that?" He asked, voice calm. His gaze was also watching nature's dance.