When I open my eyes, the first thing I register is the abrupt sunlight. A soft, orange glow is cast over the maze walls as the sun rises.
The next thing I register is Julian's heartbeat. He's next to me, lying on the stone with my head on his chest, my ear right above his heart.
I sit up a little too fast and almost faint from nausea.
The third thing is the stabbing pain in my right thigh. From the knee down, I am numb, though the pain of the wound itself is nearly unbearable. Julian tied part of his shirt around it as a tourniquet, so the bleeding has mostly stopped, but by the looks of it, any movement will start it up again.
I lift up my cargo pants to examine the wound. It's easily two inches deep, and I can see the whiteness of my bone in between layers of severed tissue. It's enough to wring a suppressed gag out of me and force my eyes elsewhere.
They land on Julian's face. He's sleeping: calm. Peaceful. His dark hair is longer now, messier, but still kept well, his thick eyebrows knit together, and his mouth is set in a little frown. I watch the sun rise for another moment breathing in the last moments of the calm morning peace before putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Julian." I say, giving him a small shake. I watch as he opens his eyes and does a quick scan of our surroundings.
"It's- morning." He says. There's an unmistakable sense of disbelief in his voice. I nod, offering a small smile.
"We have to move." He says, sitting up instantly.
"When do the gates open?" I ask, moving my hand to his chest to stop him from standing suddenly. He may be injured.
"We've got about a half hour." He says slowly before tearing his eyes from the maze to look down at my cut. "Can you make it down?"
"I have to." I bite my lip and stand. Pain shoots up my leg, all through me. I try not to wince, but Julian catches me, eyes trained on my face.
"I can try to carry you."
"You can't climb down the vines with me on your back. I'll be fine." I scoot over to the edge and lower myself over it, placing my foot in a vine loop a footfall down.
"Be careful." Julian says as I begin my way down the vines, wincing with each rung. I bite the collar of my shirt each time I force weight onto my right leg. Blood stains through the tourniquet, and I feel my wound begin to reopen.
By the time I make it to the bottom, I feel faint. Julian jumps down after me and wraps an arm around me for support.
"Let's go." I say quickly. He gives me a final uneasy look before we set off for home.
- - -
We run surrounded by an uncomfortable silence.
Several times, I find myself looking over at Julian, but he never meets my eyes.
His are darkened beneath runaway strands of his sweat ridden raven hair.
Fifteen minutes later, without having said a word the whole time, Julian abruptly stops. I turn and face him.
I wait for him to speak.
"Two lefts, then a right." Julian whispers so I'm unable to make out his tone.
"Okay?" I say, "Then let's go. We're almost there."
"No." He says softly. I look at him. His face is unreadable. After a moment's silence, I try at lightening the mood.
"Come on, I'm sure Fry's cooked up a great breakfast. Wouldn't want Chuck getting extras now, would ya?"
Nothing. Crickets.
YOU ARE READING
Newt x Reader || A13
FanfictionHe was alone; he was fragile; he was scared, crumbling under the weight of a leader's role. He is the glue. She is bold; she is determined; she is confused, haunted by visions of her forgotten past. She is the trigger. From the ashes of a world dest...
