ELECTRIC LOVE ~ CHAPTER 18 (WATCH WAVERLY FEM!OC)
Masterlist
Previous
Word Count: 1.2K
Synopsis: On the run from danger, Jules relies on Watch to overcome her fears.
CW: mild anxiety (fear of heights); fluff; Ann being a jerk
All five of them rushed through the woods, panicking and nearly out of breath. Bare branches and rough, scraggly leaves whipped by, nipping at their arms and faces. The homunculi from Shadowmire were in hot pursuit. Ann had advised them to take particular items from the garden, despite Moorpark's disapproval. She reasoned that she couldn't take them herself without raising suspicions and asked the others to 'break in' to assist her search while she waited outside. However, she neglected to tell them that the area would be guarded by these overbearing, ghastly creatures who were now tracking them closely. And, if she were caught amongst these thieves, she too would be as good as dead.
"I think---there's an old bridge--up ahead." Ann panted out, leading the group. She more or less knew the route to take, but she also put herself first in line to give her the most distance between herself and the homunculi, lest they be caught. They burst out of the foliage to indeed find the archaic structure. "There! Just up ahead!"
They approached the rickety bridge, the stone pillars seemed well-intact but the wooden slats forming the actual bridge were questionable. "This looks like it's at least a hundred years old," Sally said.
"I would estimate maybe two..." Watch piped up.
"Well, come on, we haven't got much time!" Ann impressed upon them. As they reached the precipice of the bridge and assessed its footing, Jules froze.
"I…I can't." Jules said as they stepped forward. "I'm afraid of heights. Like, petrified. I can't make it across."
"Hey," Sally said softly, reassuring her, "you can do it."
"Yeah, we're all crossing together!" Adam enthused, optimistically. They tried to coax her, but she stilled at the edge once again and began shaking.
"Oh my God," Ann intoned with frustration, "we don't have time for this!"
"It's not like we can leave her!" Sally yelled in response. She looked back over to Jules and noticed that Watch was standing in front of her, speaking calmly and in a low volume.
"We're right here with you. I'm right here. Just…take my hand, okay? I'll lead you from one side to the other." He offered his hand and she took it, numbly. Somewhere, in the recesses of her brain, she realized how truly monumental this was for him, to offer his touch in order to be helpful…and she became aware of the humming sensation that holding his hand gave her. "Go ahead, guys,” he nodded to the rest of the group and turned his focus back to Jules. “Alright, we're going to just walk over slowly and you're going to just look at me, okay? We're not looking down. I'm just gonna guide you. That's it, one foot in front of the other."
As they traipsed along the bridge, Adam and Sally looked back at the sight. Watch had never been so outwardly patient and understanding before. The two of them exchanged a look of realization, their shared best friend was far beyond an average crush; this was something much different. Still, they pressed on and saved this silent conversation to be spoken about on another day.
“That’s it. Don’t forget to breathe, either. Just gently, slowly, deep in and deep out. You are doing great.” Watch susurrated along, praising each step they made across the bridge, a beacon of constant reassurance and praise. Jules misstepped and shrieked as her ankle rolled unwittingly, absolutely certain she would fall to her doom. But Watch shot out another hand, bracing her arm and drawing back her perspective, “Hey, hey, it’s all right,” he soothed as if talking to a trapped and rabid animal. Her eyes snapped back up to his face, finding a compassionate gaze framed by thick black plastic and lenses. “Just a few more steps.” He tugged her along until they made it to the other side, feet hitting solid ground joyously, reuniting with their friends.
“Finally,” Ann groaned, “let’s get going. The bridge wasn’t going to kill us but the homunculi might.” She set off at a rushed pace and the others were quick to follow. It wasn’t until they passed a thicket of trees that Watch realized he still held Jules’ hand in his. Initially, it made sense to lead her to follow Ann, to propel her onward, out of her frightened state, after conquering the bridge. Now, however, it was less logical. Yet, he did not want to let go. She, too, realized shortly after and dropped her hand from his, filled with gratitude for his contact and commitment, but not wanting to push it further than it needed to be, for his sake. She didn’t want to burden him with that, but he felt the lack immediately, a phantom tingling as though her hand was still entrenched in his.
They soon found that they were no longer being hunted and could navigate their way home comfortably, at an ambling pace. Without the threat of present danger, Sally took to her usual bickering with Ann, blaming her yet again for their situation, but Jules and Watch lingered in the back of the line together. “Thank you, for everything back there.” Jules said softly, still embarrassed at requiring that much help to pass over a bridge, withering or not.
“Like Sally said, it’s not like we were going to leave you,” Watch hummed in response. He acted nonchalant, as if it were the obvious thing to do.
“Yeah, but no one else dragged me across.” She said, huffing a bit. She felt ridiculous that it was even necessary. Looking back on it, it should have been a journey as simple for her as it was for the rest of them.
“I didn’t drag you, I … assisted you. There’s a big difference.”
“Uh huh. Always with the semantics and word specificity.”
“Always.” Watch agreed, a smile playing at his lips as he looked forward, disregarding her concern.
“I’m just sorry it was needed.” She cast her eyes down, still trudging along and he took note of her defeated posture, “But I’m incredibly grateful that you did all that, don’t get me wrong!” She rushed out. Watch took a step in front of her, forcing her to halt her stride. He placed a hand on either of her upper arms, feeling the scruff of the loose flannel there. Always ever-present. He liked the consistency. She looked up, and the look in her eyes signified to him that he should indeed tell her what he was going to.
“Listen, it was not a bother, or anything like that. I did not mind and I would do it a million times over just to get you across. I would never leave you behind. Okay?” He was asking for her agreement, her acknowledgement of what he had said, but all she could think was ‘How could I ever be just okay after he said that and looked at me like that?’
Her heart was pounding and she wasn’t sure she would be steady on her feet if he were to release her. But she mumbled a simple, “Okay,” in response anyway.
5 notes
·
View notes