bewrightback | Overflow Post [Cerealia]

[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?

[So smooth, Phoenix.]

Not really, no. [She could have been referring to any number of things. Here, in his arms...here, in the back of the apartment building...through the window...] Though I wouldn't mind if I...did.

[That one was meant for the in his arms part.]

W-well then...

[He pauses for a moment, and sweatdrops slightly as he ponders his next move.]

You should come here often.

[...What am I even saying?

Phoenix then tries to save himself by pressing his lip softly against her cheek.]

[What is he even saying?]

[She gave herself enough time to ponder that over while he kissed her cheek. Leaning in just enough to feel the delicate pressure.]

Does that mean you...want to carry me more often?

[...wild guess.]

...Maybe? [He blinks uncertainly.] I'm... I'm not completely sure where I was going with that.

But, um, we made it. Guess the danger and weirdness is behind us!

[She smiled back, but it soon faded as she glanced back up at the window they'd both dropped out of.]

I hope so. That was terrifying.

What do you think caused all the appliances to start acting like that?

[Phoenix tries to reflect on it thoughtfully.]

It might have been some kind of... electricity problem? Or most likely it's CERES messing with us.

...There was one other time when some appliances went haywire, before you showed up here. But it was nowhere near this scale.

[She looked back to him with wide eyes.]

There was? What happened?

Well... Not much. It was back when Recreare first took control of CERES, and we started seeing Mosley around. There was an announcement that they would be ironing out a lot of the flaws left in the system from the previous administration. ...And in true CERES fashion, that caused a number of odd things to happen.

Some people got trapped in ViViD, and appliances went haywire. ...But as I said, it was mostly minor scale stuff compared to what just happened. Back then, I only had to deal with one rogue iron.

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