Rift Walkers

The Escape

——- (present day) ————

The chill of the rooftop gets to Faye, finally looking over the extent of the city. Her friend beside her had grown quiet, his eyes over her.

She turns her head to meet his gaze but he quickly joins her looking over the city. Faye keeps her eyes upon him, silently smiling.

"You've changed." Her teeth chattered as her dress picks up against the slight wind, cold air wrapping around her exposed legs. She ignored the wanted katana behind his back and applies her attention to the numbing cold.

Joel takes a moment to remove his jacket. Her clothing made for regulated temperatures was now Morana's job to retrieve, becoming an insider of the building they met together.

Joel wraps his jacket over Faye's shoulders, doing his best to warm her without making it weird and yet, her looking up at him only made it worse.

"We better get out of here." Joel did his best to adjust to the cold, moving away.

Faye nods her head, now paying attention to her footing upon the roof as the world below gains with more bodies leaving the building.

"My dress will cause more attention than your blonde hair." Faye remarked.

"I'm betting on the dress." Joel crosses his arms in response, also to protect his arms from the bitter cold.

"Hmm," She hummed in thought, him finally taking her mind away from her situation by playful banter. She looks down at their glittering dress, bringing her hands to the seams of it and ripping off the large fabric from around her waist, leaving the velvet fabric around her thighs.

Joel adverts his eyes. "Definitely my hair now." He coughs to clear his throat. Faye throws the fabric back into the room, shutting it as her ears fill with footsteps at the doorway.

Faye felt a warmth swell in her chest when looking back at Joel, the only feeling of being able to breathe in a long time.
Her bare feet are red and irritated. Joel hadn't noticed until she began to scale the side of the building to get down.
Joel hadn't made a sound, both now
being closer to the guards at the back door.

Faye swiftly moved with her numb toes almost
losing grip against the extent of the building.
Joel watches her carefully, forgetting his own footing. She instinctually grabs Joel before he could fall, pushing him against her to share the small ledge now. They breathe uneasily as the guards move around in suspicion.

Joel looks down at her, her face close to his in desperation. Faye's cheeks are warm from adrenaline. Taking the moment to move onward, Joel noticed his lingering gaze, shaking away before they jump down into the vegetation below.

"Fuck." Faye falls to her bottom rather than her feet, the soil and thickets cutting her ankles.
Joel lands beside her, the bottoms of his heels silently placed upon the ground beside her. The katana upon his back hums with response as his senses heighten around the guards shifting more.

Joel covers Faye's mouth from her irregular breathing, the guard moving around in search of any disturbance. They hold their breaths, Joel withdrawing his palm.
"We need a distraction." Faye utters painfully to him.
"We need to get you out of these conditions." Joel intervened, also obeying her words by looking over the scene before them. Faye noticed his care. She hates it, yet let's it happens not arguing with his words.

"Fuck it." Faye speaks, about to use her ability but Joel stops her by placing his warm hand upon her arm. Faye felt herself jump at the touch.

"Look." He hushes her.