bewrightback | Overflow Post [Cerealia]

[He stumbles back as she slams into him, and ends up bumping against the wall. Still he keeps his hands on her shoulders and tries to brace her.]

Are - are you okay?

[Does she look okay?]

I will be once we find a safe way out of here.

[Fair point. He nods meekly as he gently releases her.]

...I guess we should take the stairs.

Yes, please.

[She stood under her own power, save for the slight wobbling of her knees from the residual adrenaline. She turned to one side, noting the door to the stairwell at the end of the hall.]

There.

Right! Let's go. [He quickly lifts Charley and starts moving briskly towards the stairwell to make sure the path is clear.]

Hopefully we left those appliances behind!

[From the sounds of banging from behind most of the hallway doors...not too far behind.]

[Unlike the elevator, at least, the stairwell was more structure than technology. They had several flights to make it down. From the moment the door was opened, Iris took off as fast as her legs would carry her. Down...step after step...never once seeming to tire or slow down. Her endurance admirable. Focused only on making it to the ground floor.]

[Phoenix made his own sprint down the stairs following in Iris's footsteps.]

M-maybe I should look into a ground level apartment once this settles down!! [He shouts that out partway down the stairs, but otherwise he focuses on following in Iris's footsteps.]

[She came to a stop when she heard him call out, turning back with a mixture of sheepishness and slight concern.]

Oh, Feenie...

[With that, she went back to him, and made a point of slowing her pace so they could stay together.]

It's not much further. I'm sure you can make it.

[He flushes lightly as he moves to catch up.]

Th-thanks! I got this... really! I just could do with a quicker escape route, that's all! [He laughs nervously. At least he hasn't worked up a sweat yet.]

[She wouldn't have minded or even cared if he did, considering the circumstances.]

We didn't know we would need an escape route. I really thought...we would be safe here.

[In her naive way, she'd trusted that much would be true.]

[They reached the bottom, and again, there was little technology to short-circut as they reached the exit door.]

[Which gave a loud 'click' the moment Iris' hand touched it. Locking itself shut. She pushed and pushed, but with no luck.]

It won't let us out!

Right. This caught us all off guard... W-we'll just have to be better prepared in the future.

[He's only entertaining the possibility that they'll all make it out of this alright. But then as they reach the bottom, he frowns as she struggles with the door.]

What?! Oh no...! [Phoenix draws closer and tries to push with her!]

[Together, they pressed all their weight...and it still wasn't enough.]

It's no good. [Tears started brimming at the corner of her eyes.] We can't open it.

Iris... [He looks right at her. It breaks his heart to see those tears.]

We'll figure something out. Don't you worry. This isn't the end! [He sets his next plan into motion... As he sets Charley down, he pulls out his key card and tries sliding it wherever he can in and around the door, just to see if he can trick it into opening in some way.]

If this doesn't work... We'll just have to find a window.

[Each time he attempted to slide that card, the door gave a series of beeps. If they didn't know any better, one might have assumed it was laughing at them.]

[Meanwhile, a single tear made it halfway down Iris' cheek before Phoenix's words properly registered in her mind. A window. She let out a gasp in realization.]

The second floor! There's a window on this side, isn't there? Over the grass.

[And the lock was a manual latch. No technology.]

[Phoenix grows increasingly frustrated at the beeps and bangs on the door as he gives that up.]

...The second floor it is, then! [Time to pick up that plant and head back up one floor!]

[An ideal plan? Far from it. But it was one that went off without a hitch; they made it back up the flight with no incidents. And, just as Iris recalled, the lock was easy enough to undo. She pushed open the window--easily large enough for them to fit through--and stuck her head out just long enough to gauge the distance to the ground.]

We'll have to be careful, but this should work.

[Phoenix nods as he looks out the window. Luckily they're only on the second floor, so he's not feeling his fear of heights as badly as it could be.]

Great! Careful's definitely the name of my game.

I can head down first and see how things look on the ground... [And if I could help her get a softer landing!]

[Are you sure? She very nearly asked him, before realizing that he wouldn't have said as much if he weren't. So instead, she nodded and took a step back, allowing him the space.]

Alright.

When you get outside, try to hold onto the bottom of the window frame as best as you can, and let yourself drop.

[Somebody seemed to know a thing or two about climbing out of second-story windows.]

[He glances at her with a brief look of surprise with how well-acquainted with this she seemed. But then he simply nodded, appreciating all the help he could get.]

Sure, that sounds like a good idea... Thanks!

[Phoenix then takes a deep breath before he goes through the window and tries to follow her instructions. He holds onto the window frame, ends up hanging, and then he lets go... although he builds up fear as he does so, and thus he shouts as he drops down to the ground. He briefly lands on his feet, but he stumbles as he does so and then topples onto his rear.]

Ow. ...I'm fine!

[There would be time for that story later. Hopefully.]

You didn't hurt yourself at all?

[Because that was a definite yelp of pain she just heard.]

[Yay, storytime. But as it is, he slowly stands up and looks up sheepishly towards her.]

Well... to be honest, it hurts a little! [He says with a slight wince.] But it was just a rough landing... definitely nothing broken or anything.

[Then, he spreads out his arms.]

Hey, what if I try to catch you?

[Despite their situation, she couldn't help a smile.]

If you insist.

[She was fairly positive she could have made the drop on her own, but he looked so eager to try. So, with minimal hesitation, she stuck one foot out the window. Then the other. Kneeling against the ledge as she found a solid grip with her hands, she began to walk herself down the side of the building. Until she was hanging.]

[On a count of 'three', she let go and allowed herself to fall.]

[He just wants to be helpful... especially to feel less embarrassed about his little fall. But he'll keep his arms wide open and catch her, with just an 'oof!' and a brief struggle. He won't set her down immediately, though, to take a moment to appreciate their faces being on the same level.]

[Once the initial awkwardness of the struggle was over, and they both steadied...]

[She expected him to put her down. He didn't. And...she didn't mind. His arms were surprisingly comfortable, and with their height difference, she rarely had the chance to look into his eyes at so close a level. They tended to look darker from far away, but up close...there was that twinkle. A youthful glint that was still there from their--well, his--University Days.]

[His eyes are full of affection as he looks at her and holds her a little closer. And Phoenix ends up feeling like now's the time to say something smooth. So he smiles and speaks.]

Come here often?

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