If he'd been alone, he would have been free by now. It didn't take much effort to get across the obstacles, all things considered; while his shoulder was still aching his legs were perfectly fine, and his clothes were tailored and tapered to his limbs so there was little chance of them getting caught on their surroundings. Every time he paused it was to help her around a stack of boxes or to help free her dress from the chips in the prickly unfinished wooden crates. He'd taken more steps backwards than forwards—and at one point wondered how she'd respond to the suggestion that she just tear her skirt up to her knees.
Being in front had its merits, though: he could make split-second decisions about the easiest path for her to maneuver through and guide her as she continuously pulled at her skirts to free them or to be able to see where she was stepping. The water was rising steadily, and at this point was halfway between his knee and hip. Clearly they were at the part of the boat that had crashed into the rock. He leapt over what looked to be large, heavy shelf that had fallen off the wall, and just as he turned to warn her to watch her step she let out a loud exclamation that he couldn't quite make out due to the the shifting of the boat, but he didn't need to hear. He could see.
He watched wide-eyed in horror as he watched a large cabinet slide down from the wall towards her. He lurched forward, but he was so frozen in fear that he could only get one step in before he paused again, hand outstretched in her direction. The cabinet collided with her, and whether by luck or the mercy of the god above she remained conscious and alive. He found his footing again and quickly moved forward, stepping over debris and kicking boxes out of the way so he could reach her. Finally he was able to see that it was her own strength that was keeping the cabinet from crushing her entirely.
Wedging himself between the spot where she was caught and the cabinet, he pressed his back against the large piece of furniture and took small steps back until he bore the entire weight against his body. The strain was most clear in his face; his jaw clenched as he struggled to hold his footing on the wet and angled ground, but letting go would likely mean both of them would be crushed. He took deep breaths, trying to keep himself from buckling under the weight while also trying to clear his mind long enough to figure out where she was caught.
Finally he spotted it. She was caught to a nail, and in her struggle she'd managed to get multiple pieces of fabric in a small path of her coat latched around the nail. "No time to waste," he hissed, more to himself than her, and suddenly his hands were all over her. Her waist. Her shoulders. Her arms. At one point—and not on purpose—her chest. "Sorry," he breathed. He could be embarrassed about this later—and he would be—but his mind was racing and all he could think about was getting her out and getting himself out. He worked to undo the buttons on her coat and push it off her body and arms as best as he could given the pressure being put on his spine, and at one point he struggled under the weight and was forced to take a step towards her.
Finally, after what had to be one long minute given how the water had risen to his hips and up to her waist, he tore the fabric of the the coat arm and the entire piece slid from her body and into the water below. The water had done some good; no longer was all the pressure on him as the water did its part to lessen the weight of cabinet, but in doing so it significantly weakened his grip. He didn't even think to ask before he wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her to the side, moving her out of the way of the cabinet before he turned and let the cabinet slide against the wall.
"Go. Go," he breathed, sounding and feeling weaker than he would have liked to given the strength they would need to get to the exit.
Being in front had its merits, though: he could make split-second decisions about the easiest path for her to maneuver through and guide her as she continuously pulled at her skirts to free them or to be able to see where she was stepping. The water was rising steadily, and at this point was halfway between his knee and hip. Clearly they were at the part of the boat that had crashed into the rock. He leapt over what looked to be large, heavy shelf that had fallen off the wall, and just as he turned to warn her to watch her step she let out a loud exclamation that he couldn't quite make out due to the the shifting of the boat, but he didn't need to hear. He could see.
He watched wide-eyed in horror as he watched a large cabinet slide down from the wall towards her. He lurched forward, but he was so frozen in fear that he could only get one step in before he paused again, hand outstretched in her direction. The cabinet collided with her, and whether by luck or the mercy of the god above she remained conscious and alive. He found his footing again and quickly moved forward, stepping over debris and kicking boxes out of the way so he could reach her. Finally he was able to see that it was her own strength that was keeping the cabinet from crushing her entirely.
Wedging himself between the spot where she was caught and the cabinet, he pressed his back against the large piece of furniture and took small steps back until he bore the entire weight against his body. The strain was most clear in his face; his jaw clenched as he struggled to hold his footing on the wet and angled ground, but letting go would likely mean both of them would be crushed. He took deep breaths, trying to keep himself from buckling under the weight while also trying to clear his mind long enough to figure out where she was caught.
Finally he spotted it. She was caught to a nail, and in her struggle she'd managed to get multiple pieces of fabric in a small path of her coat latched around the nail. "No time to waste," he hissed, more to himself than her, and suddenly his hands were all over her. Her waist. Her shoulders. Her arms. At one point—and not on purpose—her chest. "Sorry," he breathed. He could be embarrassed about this later—and he would be—but his mind was racing and all he could think about was getting her out and getting himself out. He worked to undo the buttons on her coat and push it off her body and arms as best as he could given the pressure being put on his spine, and at one point he struggled under the weight and was forced to take a step towards her.
Finally, after what had to be one long minute given how the water had risen to his hips and up to her waist, he tore the fabric of the the coat arm and the entire piece slid from her body and into the water below. The water had done some good; no longer was all the pressure on him as the water did its part to lessen the weight of cabinet, but in doing so it significantly weakened his grip. He didn't even think to ask before he wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her to the side, moving her out of the way of the cabinet before he turned and let the cabinet slide against the wall.
"Go. Go," he breathed, sounding and feeling weaker than he would have liked to given the strength they would need to get to the exit.
set by lady <3