[PREQUEL] (W) ᴜɴᴅᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ ♗

7| Gwen Stacey'ed

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I didn't have the time to process the fast footsteps Dom took my way.

His freshly moisturized arms engulf me in a tight hold. The smell of tropical body wash has me thinking maybe I should have used that one instead of the rainforest scent in the downstairs bathroom.

God dammit it smells so much better.

With the limited movement I had, I managed to look over his shoulder. Damien and I's exchange of acknowledgement was–by far–more subtle.

. A greeting smile and a mouthing 'you okay?' was all I needed. I felt Dom's jaw move. He was talking to me. I couldn't hear a single peep.

Maybe it was the fact that he was speaking into one ear that's a little deficient in hearing than the other, or my mind filtering out the unnecessary. We separate.

Bàs was slow to leave. A little 'that's my cue' was enough to leave only three people in the kitchen area.

Baby Veve audibly squirms in her spot at the end of the kitchen island.

Her movements cause her to slide near the edge further. Damien is on the other side.

He could have made it if he ran. But knowing the sloth, it wasn't needed until absolutely necessary. Like on a mission or when someone eats his shawarma leftovers in the fridge.

He was the biggest of the backs.

But his fast-metabolism would have never forced anyone to guess. He does shoot a glance in his niece's direction the moment she tips even slightly over the high surface.

I don't see the motion, but I know he pivots his foot by the way his chest turns in his direction first.

Tipping over like humpty-dumpty on his wall, there's a moment where I feel a phone getting pulled down from Dominic's pocket pants. He's quick to unlock it and type something on the screen.

Suddenly, the sound of faint dramatic classical music fills my good ear. I'm slow to squint at the volume and the vibrations it causes in my eardrum.

The scene slows as if it were an ESPN replay of an epic failure that landed a promising athlete into critical condition.

The eldest acts fast. The sound of Bravina's giggles taunt his movements. Almost as if she were yelling 'you're too slow'. She tips further off the surface of the island.

Her smile is quick to fade when she realizes a second too slowly that she could in fact be in danger. Damien is the last person she looks at when she shuts her eyes tightly. Bracing for impact.

The music coming from Dom's phone gets interrupted by an ad.

I hear colorful words spill out of his mouth, followed by the sound of his phone turning off.